Impatience is a Virtue
by sammymillzer
Summary: The lives of the Bennet sisters take a decided turn when Darcy and Elizabeth meet on Oakham Mount the morning of the Netherfield Ball. Follow their adventures, heartbreaks, triumphs, and romances as each of the Misses Bennet take center stage in this retelling of an age-old Regency Era drama. D/E HEA
1. A Meeting on Oakham Mount

Determined to think no more of the egocentric Mr Darcy, Elizabeth arose early Tuesday morning and set off on her usual jaunt to Oakham Mount. She had sneaked into the kitchen with as much stealth as could be managed and snatched a fresh pastry from the tray Cook had placed on the table mere minutes earlier. With Evelina, a novel she only just started, tucked under her dark green pelisse and a matching bonnet strapped haphazardly under her chin, she hurried down the path and out into the fields.

The cold air and mist, turned to gold by the shy rays of sunlight peeking through the clouds, did much to ease her mind as she slowed her pace ever so slightly on her ascent of the mount. At last, red-nosed, bonnet-less, and with a decidedly ruddy glow, she emerged from the mist and reached the peak. The sun had only just fully appeared in the sky and she found herself mesmerized by its beauty.

* * *

So absorbed was she that her first realization of Mr Darcy's horse standing surprisingly near her was when it let out a soft neigh. Startled, she spun around to face its very unwelcome owner and, without a word of greeting, inquired whether the gentleman's tendency to frighten young women alone in the countryside was a newfound pleasure.

"Good morning, Miss Bennet. I assure you I had no intention of startling you, I was simply distracted by the beauty of the countryside," said he, with a bow and every effort to sound amicable. It was a truth almost universally unknown that Mr Darcy was extremely attracted to this infuriatingly complicated country gentlewoman. Even though he was already quite lost to her fine eyes, he currently simply felt curious to discover more of Miss Elizabeth's strong opinions, and marvel at her refusal to defer them to himself.

"If that is the case, I suppose you would prefer I leave you in peace as Oakham Mount is no novelty to myself?" she asked rather bluntly, annoyed that her plans had been interrupted by the one man she had no desire to think of any longer.

"There is no need. Surely two people can occupy a hill such as this without disturbing the other's peace," he hoped she could see the slight upturning of his lips, and realize he was trying, and failing rather painfully, to be friendly.

"I suppose it is so. If you do not mind, I intend to continue my reading, as you see," she removed the novel from its hiding place and displayed its cover to the gentleman. Unable to resist an opportunity to insult the man, she added, "I assume this is not one of those books you were so adamant accomplished ladies must read to live up to their title." It irked her that his opinion still affected her no matter how desperately she tried to ignore everything about him.

"On the contrary, Georgiana, my sister, used to be quite fond of the author, and many of her works are housed in Pemberley's library," he replied, obviously put off by her obvious jab at what he had meant to be a compliment.

 _Why must she be so incredibly confusing?_ He couldn't help but wonder to himself. _It seems every attempt I make at civility is to be thrown back in my face, and for the life of me, I cannot comprehend the reason for her intense loathing._

"Miss Bennet," he tentatively inquired "I realize you find very little pleasure in my presence, rather I would speculate you find it disproportionately disagreeable. Is there any real reason behind this? To my knowledge, I have been only civil towards yourself and your family, despite their behaviour bordering on preposterous far too frequently to go unnoticed."

This tidbit of honesty seemed to open the flood gates, and his train of thought was vocalized with very little filtration, as his frustration with her attitude boiled to the surface.

"I would desperately like to know what it is I have done to harm you so. I cannot bear to be in the presence of such senseless barbarism your mother and younger sisters exhibit, yet I am to be despised simply because I wish to be left alone?" This he very nearly spat out in disdain, and then just as quickly realized how poorly he had spoken. No gentleman would address a woman as he just had, yet he could not be entirely mortified as there was certainly some truth in what he had said.

Elizabeth could no longer control the fury his words had provoked.

"Why sir," she snapped, "do you desire me to thank you for your boorish appraisal of my family, simply because Jane and I are exempt from it? You call us improper but I have witnessed many of the said _first circle_ of the ton behave in a far more despicable manner. From the moment you arrived in Meryton society you have been nothing but crass, uncivil, and unbelievably disdainful of its population. You throw about your commentary with that spiteful sister of Mr Bingley's maintaining no regard for any individual's feelings. My family may not be the epitome of elegance, but I do love them, and at least we do not criticize others so incredibly hypocritically." Elizabeth's face had blanched white in her rage, and she now stood toe to toe with the gentleman who seemed to be feeling more uncomfortable with every breath she took to renew her address.

"Furthermore, you dare claim you have been only civil. You dare claim to hold my sister and I in some small esteem. Did you not announce to half the ballroom that I am only 'barely tolerable', sir? Is that the behaviour of a proper gentleman? I dare say it is not."

At this, it was Darcy's turn to pale. He had no idea that she had heard his careless comment, and now the mortification truly set in. He had insulted her before he even made her acquaintance, and then accused her family of behaving poorly when he could not be said to have comported himself in any better manner.

He stuttered, "I truly did not mea-"

"Do not interrupt me, sir, I am far from finished!" she warned. It seemed the words poured from her mouth of their own accord, and with each sentence, she could feel the vindication of at last standing up to this pompous, proud man.

"Not only do you treat every last one of us as inferior to yourself, but you have the gall to look poor Mr Wickham in the eye after all you have done to wrong him, and you do so without even the slightest semblance of regret. So do not speak to me of propriety and sense, when all you are is a prideful, selfish man who believes his wealth and connections turn every last one of us into his meek, adoring followers. We are not so stupid, and I am no Caroline Bingley to simper at your every word." She stopped abruptly and attempted to catch her breath.

Mr Darcy, who had looked positively shaken throughout her speech, now seemed to be equally indignant at her mention of Wickham. Though he was furious at the man for deceiving the whole town so well, he realized with shame that his treatment of Elizabeth had made her susceptible to Wickham's lies. He saw no course of action to remedy his previous faults other than to tell her the truth and place his happiness and his sister's reputation at her mercy. If he could not improve her opinion of himself, at least she would understand the danger the man posed to herself and her sisters.

As Elizabeth calmed slightly, Mr Darcy addressed her in a subdued tone, "Miss Bennet, I cannot but agree to your assessment of my character thus far. Indeed, I behaved inexcusably poorly towards the people of the town, but I realize I need to apologize to you personally as well – "

"There is no need for it. Nothing you say can change my opinion of your conceit," she interrupted.

"I insist Eli- Miss Bennet, please, allow me to explain," her silence he took as permission to continue, "I have been raised all my life to hold my name and position in the highest esteem. My father accepted nothing less than perfection from his children, though he loved us dearly, and Georgiana and I were subject to many lessons on the hierarchy of society, and the standards we were to meet. My mother became incredibly weak after Georgiana was born, and died when she was but 4 years old, and I was 16. After her death, my father retreated into himself and I was left with the burden of grieving the loss of my mother while comforting a sister who could barely understand the gravity of the situation." At this, Elizabeth's expression softened slightly, but she was still wary of being deceived by this man of whom she thought nothing but ill.

Darcy continued "I played the role of father to Georgiana from that day forward, and even more so six years later when he too passed away. He had loved my mother above all else and never recovered after her death. I was faced with managing a large estate at the early age of 21, and the responsibilities, along with the events of my childhood, moulded my character to an uncanny likeness of my father's; reclusive, and some even say taciturn."

He paused, closed his eyes and, taking a deep breath as if to steel himself against what was to come, recounted to Elizabeth the complete particulars of his relationship with Wickham, and the events of the previous summer at Ramsgate.

Elizabeth had moved to sit on a dry log at some point during his story, and now gazed sadly at her lap and toyed with the buttons of her pelisse. There could be no doubt of the truthfulness of his story, and although she did not entirely like Mr Darcy, she could no longer truly hate him.

 _Poor, dear Miss Darcy_ , she thought, _as old as Lydia and at an age where you can be so susceptible to the lies told by those around you. Just as I was. How could I have misjudged Mr Wickham's character so?_ She was about to absolve the gentleman cautiously seated to her right of all wrong when she remembered his comments at the assembly hall.

Interrupting her once more indignant thoughts, Mr Darcy quietly started to speak again, "I realize it is no excuse for my shameful words at the assembly, but in all honesty, I had barely noticed you when I made my comments. I said whatever it would take for Bingley to cease his insistence that I dance. I had not accompanied him here entirely of my own volition, but rather as a favour to a close friend who is seeking to find his place in the world. In my mind I had no patience for match-making mamas and their simpering, sickly sweet daughters hanging about me, so I acted as rude and aloof as possible, hoping to drive them off. It was not a gentlemanly thing to do, but I cannot take back what I have done, only apologize for it profusely and pray you will forgive me."

Finding herself still shaken by her obvious misjudgment of the newcomers' characters, Elizabeth sighed, "Mr Darcy, it seems we were both hasty in our judgment of each other and the people we associate with. Will it not, perhaps, be prudent to begin our acquaintance anew, so that we may part as friends?"

She would do her best to make up for her mistaken hatred by improving the opinion of the Meryton residents towards him and perhaps help him, even if only slightly, to understand his sister's feelings, as she had more than ample practice dealing with 15-year-old girls in her lifetime.

"There is nothing I would appreciate more," said he, with the slightest hint of a smile making his eyes seem just a bit brighter.

It had been more than an hour since the start of their conversation and, with a jolt, Elizabeth realized her absence would be noted today more than any other, as they were to attend Mr Bingley's ball at Netherfield that evening.

In a great rush, she bid Mr Darcy goodbye, adding that she would see him at the ball, and shoved her bonnet over her unruly curls. Not bothering to fasten it beneath her chin she grabbed her unread book, and with some haste stood up from the log, brushed off her pelisse, and turned to leave.

"Miss Bennet!" Mr Darcy interrupted her retreat. She swung around and asked cheekily whether, as he was so willing to delay her return to Longbourn, he would like to deal with her mother's 'nerves and palpitations' in her stead.

With a delighted grin, showing off two terribly endearing dimples, he countered, "I would happily endure all her nerves and palpitations if you would grant me the first, and supper sets at the ball tonight."

"Why Mr Darcy, I thought you hated dancing?" she teased, as she arched her eyebrow ever so slightly.

 _Good lord, has she always been so beautiful?_ Mr Darcy asked himself. He was so lost in her crooked smile and sparkling brown eyes that he forgot to answer her question and had to request she repeat herself. Elizabeth did so, but not without an intense struggle to contain her mirth at the haughty Mr Darcy staring at her quite idiotically.

"I assure you, madam, I enjoy dancing but only when I do so with an embarrassingly intelligent, and uncommonly beautiful partner."

At this Elizabeth's cheeks turned decidedly red. "Why sir, no wonder you never dance as those are quite high standards to which you hold your partners! Nonetheless, I will be delighted to gain amusement from your discomfort, so I accept your request," she said with a humorous smile. At that, she lifted her skirts ever so slightly and sped wildly down the hill.

Darcy watched her disappear in the direction of Longbourn and shook his head.

"Well Gaius! That was certainly a morning well spent," he addressed the animal as he mounted and took off on the path to Netherfield. For the first time in his life, he was truly looking forward to a ball.


	2. The Ball at Netherfield

It was a very flustered and mayhap slightly confused Elizabeth that walked back towards Longbourn that morning. She had far too much to think about and therefore remained blissfully oblivious to the din arising from the upstairs rooms of her home.

 _I'd been quite sure Mr Darcy would be of no consequence to me any longer and now it seems we have become friends! What a strange morning, s_ he thought to herself. _I do not know if I, like Mr Darcy, would have been capable of caring for my sisters if anything were ever to happen to mama and papa. But perhaps that is why God blessed our family with Jane. Kind, reliable Jane. She would do wonderfully. Even Lydia listens to her, and Lydia rarely listens to anyone but herself._

At that, her thoughts turned once more to her morning companion. _I must admit he looks rather dashing when he smiles. Unfortunately, that is so utterly rare he appears disapproving most of the time. I'll have to get him to laugh tonight, perhaps then Meryton may warm up to him. And we most definitely need to talk about Mr Wickham, though that may make him too angry to smile at all. We can't very well leave the man to wander about seducing young girls and gathering debt at every business in town. Perhaps papa will have an idea of what to do._

She was just deciding when the right time would be to approach her father when she became aware of a ghastly conglomeration of screaming, laughing, and her mother's screeching pouring out of her sisters' bedroom window, accompanied by rather strained notes being banged on the pianoforte downstairs. _Bedlam must be peaceful compared to this,_ she sighed, as she took a deep breath, slowly pushed open the door and calmly let the sound engulf her.

Lydia, it seemed, wanted to look risqué and mature for her first ball hosted by such a rich gentleman. To achieve the required look she had proceeded to lop off nearly three inches from the bottom of her skirts, in an effort to copy the daring French Mademoiselles. She stood before the mirror in her and Kitty's room while her mother screeched that her father would never let her leave the house with her ankles on display. Kitty sat giggling on the bed as she watched her mother's face grow redder and redder, and Jane stood next to the mirror quietly suggesting they sow on a length of material of similar hue to lengthen at least the topmost layer of the skirt. To all this Lydia was vehemently protesting, in as loud a voice as possible and insisting this style of dress was á la mode in France. Another burst of laughter from Kitty as Mrs Bennet started calling for Hill and her salts, and Elizabeth rushed most decidedly into her own room and shut the door as quickly as possible. Relieved, she prepared for her bath and wondered at Mr Darcy's description of her family. _Honestly, he wasn't very wrong._ With the help of Beth, the lady's maid she shared with her sisters, she undressed and slowly submerged her body under the steaming water. Slowly the headache that had threatened to appear with all the madness in the house slipped away, and she closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling of complete relaxation. _I must remember to thank Lydia for her silliness. At least no one noticed I was dreadfully late!_ she thought.

All too soon she found herself back in her room and slipping into a dress her Aunt Gardiner had sent a few months ago, but her mother refused to let her wear to any common sort of assembly. Its skirts were made of the palest green silk she had ever seen, and the bodice and sleeves were soft white muslin that fell off her shoulders ever so slightly, embroidered with hundreds of golden flowers and a few pearls that glittered in the light. It set off her darker complexion perfectly, and she was quite surprised to find even she considered herself rather pretty that afternoon. As Beth started on her hair, Jane appeared with a look both relieved and slightly distraught upon her face.

"We _must_ do something about Lydia and Kitty, Lizzy," she said in a rather grave tone.

"I know, dearest, but I cannot imagine how we could possibly manage to knock some sense into those two."

Jane seemed to give it a minute or two of thought, then proposed "We could ask papa to hire a governess for them. We are far too old for one, but Lydia and Kitty may still benefit, don't you think?"

"Perhaps," Lizzy mused "I will talk to papa tomorrow. Maybe you can accompany me and together we may just make more headway. You know papa hates to force anything on his children. I doubt Lydia will take well to lessons and discipline, and we all know where she goes, Kitty follows."

"Indeed," replied Jane as she took over from Beth and began to weave white ribbon through Lizzy's dark chestnut curls. The sisters continued their preparation in relative silence, and once completed, couldn't help but admire each other's appearance.

"You look lovely, Lizzy! I'm quite sure every head shall turn in your direction tonight! Aunt Marianne has excellent taste," Jane said in admiration.

"No one can compare to you, dearest, and you know it!" Lizzy countered.

Jane, dressed in a light peach gown adorned with intricate white lace along her waistline, and pearls in her hair, looked every bit a simple, elegant beauty. Elizabeth believed Jane could wear a picnic blanket, and still be considered the most beautiful woman in the room. She voiced this opinion, and Jane giggled at the thought of standing in front of a ballroom full of people in nothing but some mussed up linen.

"No matter what you wear tonight, I know Mr Bingley will be exceedingly pleased!" Lizzy stated slyly. At this Jane's face turned pink and she hid behind a pillow.

"Do you love him Jane? If you do, you should tell him."

The embarrassment worn off, Jane replied, "Oh Lizzy, I don't quite know. Mr Bingley is everything that is amiable and sweet I only wonder sometimes that he seems rather unsteady. His effusions of praise and compliments have grown to feel superfic – No, forget I said that - he does not deserve to be judged in such a manner. I would be honoured to reach an understanding with him."

"Jane, you cannot possibly put his happiness above your own. We promised each other we would marry only for the deepest love and affection, and I will not have you live in deference to the wishes of mama, or Mr Bingley. Dearest, you are beautiful and have the kindest, sweetest soul in this world. You deserve only joy in your life, and if Mr Bingley is not the right man for you, then you have the right to refuse him and to choose to wait for greater happiness, and I am sure it will come," at this Jane pulled Lizzy into a tight hug and, wiping a solitary tear from her own cheek, she whispered "What would I ever do without you Lizzy?"

No longer wishing to dwell on unhappy things, Lizzy teased "You'd have to deal with mama, Lydia, and Kitty alone!"

"Good heavens no!" was her only reply as they hurried down the stairs and into the waiting carriage. Lydia's dress mended, Kitty properly attired, and Mr Bennet seated rather glumly opposite Elizabeth as he listened to Mrs Bennet's gushing, the group set off on the short trip to Netherfield.

* * *

Darcy waited impatiently for the Bennets to arrive. Although he had no desire to be in the company of any of them save the two eldest and their father, he stood dutifully next to Charles and Caroline as they greeted their guests.

Caroline, who seemed to take Mr Darcy's participation in their welcomes as a sign of his great regard for her, made it a point to whisper conspiratorially in his ear after every guest arrived.

"Oh my! Did she have that dress made from an old tent canvas?" she breathed.

"Can you not smell the _stench_ of manure emanating from that man's coat? I quite nearly gagged."

"How pathetic! You'd imagine they've never been to a ball hosted by anyone of real taste, which isn't too surprising considering the general population's station and wealth."

"Really! I cannot wait for Charles to close up this hell hole and let us return to civilization. These people are positively savage!"

Being able to bear no more of her whining, and being acutely reminded that not too long ago he shared some of her sentiments, Darcy made his way to the opposite side of the ballroom and decided to commence his wait there.

Mere minutes had passed when he saw her enter. She was a vision.

Her attire was simple, yet incredibly elegant, and seemed to cling in all the right places. _And her eyes. Damn those beautiful eyes,_ Darcy said to himself. They did indeed sparkle in the candlelight, and her face lit up with a smile as she noticed him across the room.

Darcy had never been one to feel emotion acutely, but her smile seemed to cause his legs to shake ever so slightly.

After what seemed an eternity of formal greetings and civilities, he finally approached her and offered his arm.

"Eager, aren't we, sir? The first dance does not begin for several minutes yet, and my dear cousin," at which she rolled her eyes so only Darcy could see " _so_ wishes to make your acquaintance!" At this, she gave him a smug smile and went off in search of Charlotte, leaving Darcy with the little toad of a parson. The indignant gentleman was obliged to suffer through grand compliments and empty-headed comments about Mr Darcy's aunt's great condescension in providing him, a humble parson, such a living as he had. Darcy had just about decided to once more shelter in his reticence when he noticed Elizabeth smiling evilly at him from where she stood with Charlotte and Jane in deep conversation.

Determined to prove Elizabeth's estimation of his character had been entirely baseless, he forced an agonizingly deceitful smile onto his face and returned his attention to the gentleman still chattering on beside him.

* * *

Mr Bingley had, in the meantime, been following Jane about the hall with puppy-like devotion. He seemed slightly nervous and often tried steering her away from the masses. Elizabeth noticed this and hoped that, if and when his offer came, Jane would put her own happiness first. She prayed Jane would find the strength to say no.

As the first dance started, Mr Collins gallantly strode up to Elizabeth and requested her first two dances. Knowing this meant trouble for her future she was relieved to inform the man that his most gracious patroness' nephew had claimed her set, but that she would accept his hand for the second. Mr Darcy led her gracefully to the floor and they lined up with the other couples. As the music filled the room and they went about twirling, curtseying, and bowing, neither said very much, but the silence was far from uncomfortable. At last, Elizabeth said mischievously, "Well Mr Darcy, I am overjoyed that have met my lovely cousin, and find him to be such a delight!"

Mr Darcy feigned a look of great annoyance and replied "For a lady, you are quite oblivious to the discomfort of others. Do not think for one moment, Miss Elizabeth, that this slight towards my person will not be avenged."

"Why, sir! Are you quite seriously threatening a woman, gentleman that you are, and claim to be?" she asked archly.

"Ah but you are not merely 'a woman'. By my estimation, you are the most dangerous person in this room."

At this Elizabeth's cheeks reddened, which was thankfully hidden as they separated once more to follow down the line of dancers. When they finally reunited, Elizabeth had recovered sufficiently to ask slyly whether Mr Darcy was being charming, and if he was, what had happened to the original Darcy they all had come to know.

The man replied only that he spoke the truth and could therefore not be guilty of charm. The rest of the dance passed in relative silence as Elizabeth mulled over his words, and when they finally walked off of the floor in search of refreshments, each gave the other a small smile.

* * *

It was while sipping on a glass of punch that Elizabeth noticed Jane and her mother's absence.

Her father sat in a corner of the room with a grave look upon his face, and Mr Bingley stood in the opposite corner looking utterly dejected.

So Jane had been strong.

Now, to deal with the consequences.


	3. Smelling Salts, Slippers, and Sisters

"Miss Elizabeth," a deep voice interrupted her thoughts, "I hope it was not once more my thoughtlessness that has caused such trepidation." Mr Darcy had caught sight of her expression and feared he had once more been misunderstood.

When Elizabeth remained silent a moment longer than usual, Mr Darcy's face became cold and he turned to leave.

"Mr Darcy, please wait a moment." her voice sounded puzzled, and he could not help but return to her side. "It seems my sister has done what not a soul in Meryton expected. She has refused Mr Bingley, and I am worried my mother's reaction may bring the ball to a very embarrassing stop."

"I may not know your sister very well, Miss Elizabeth, but I did warn Mr Bingley his constant praises may not be received as well as he would hope. I only hope his reputation will not suffer for it. He may not be the steadiest of men, but he has good intentions." this was said in a low whisper, maintained by Mr Darcy leaning just a little closer to Elizabeth's ear than propriety deemed appropriate. Elizabeth herself was not unconscious of the effect his proximity had on her, as her face and arm closest to him suddenly felt very warm.

Shaking her head slightly to gain some clarity, she replied, "I agree with you, sir."

Pushing her thoughts of Mr Darcy aside and focusing on the problem at hand, she added, "Unfortunately my mother will not see it your way. I must beg you to excuse me, I will have to go and support my sister, or else mama might threaten her into changing her mind. I am truly sorry for your friend." At this, she espied Mr Collins approaching from the other side of the floor, where he had been in deep conversation with Sir Lucas, and made good her escape as she slipped into the hallway. Once there, Mrs Bennet's voice was an unmistakable beacon of their location; the ladies' cloakroom.

* * *

"Jane, I cannot _possibly_ allow you to do this! Have you no sympathy for your dear mother and sisters? Mr Bennet will not live forever and then what will happen with us? Oh, we shall be _thrown_ to the hedgerows like a litter of sickly cats! All because of your desire for love! I cannot bear it. _Oh_ , where is Lydia? Is she the only one of you with any sense!?" at this a very loud moan could be heard as Mrs Bennet clumsily fell into a chair. "You cannot have been so pretty for naught, Jane! I always told Mrs Phillips as much, but now? I see you have become as headstrong as Lizzy! Oh my heart, I cannot bear this! The hedgerows! We will be forced to beg for sustenance, Jane! To beg! How can you do this to your poor mother!?"

As soon as she heard the slightest break in her mother's despair, Lizzy opened the door to the cloakroom, quickly stepped inside, and shut it as securely as possible. "Jane, you cannot give in to mama!" she said, knowing full well she would bear her mother's ire for the foreseeable future because of it.

"Mr Bingley is a kind man, but if you do not love him who are we to force you to act?"

Jane's eyes had a red tinge, and it was obvious she had been crying. Lizzy quickly walked up to her and pulled her into a tight embrace as another sob escaped her throat.

"Oh Lizzy, I do so wish to make mama happy," at this Elizabeth gave an angry look at her mother, who sat pale and sweating in the corner of the dimly lit room, "what if she is right? Mr Bingley is not all that bad. I could be quite content in a life with him."

Hearing this, Mrs Bennet prepared herself for war once more. She was about to interrupt with another referral to the hedgerows and Mr Bingley's five thousand pounds when Lydia and Kitty burst into the now rather crowded room.

"Oh, mama! Officer Denny asked me to dance twice, and I have only come to fix my dancing slippers before the next dance begins. That dreadful Mr Collins almost ruined them! He dances like a man with many an itch and too few hands to scratch them!" cried Lydia, oblivious to Jane's despair, and her mother's ill-humor. Kitty let out a very unladylike guffaw and turned a bright purple at her inability to breathe.

"Mama, he has been asking after Lizzy all night and I told him she was probably hiding in the library with papa! You should have seen his face!" Kitty snickered.

Throughout this Lizzy had been whispering quietly to Jane. It seemed she had made some progress as her crying had ceased and she was dabbing her eyes quietly with her handkerchief.

As Lydia fiddled with her shoes, Lizzy decided she would finally have to say what no one else dared, "Mama, Jane has decided to refuse Mr Bingley. I know you think this will be our doom, but neither I nor papa will ever allow Jane to do anything that makes her this unhappy. Jane deserves happiness, and you of all people, who claim to love her above all of us, should be able to understand that."

Here she took Jane's arm and steered her out of the room. In the hallway, Jane made it known she felt well enough to return to the ballroom, after assuring Lizzy she would not surrender her happiness, and would only act as though nothing was amiss in order to save Mr Bingley the embarrassment. As they entered, the music for the second dance was just about to begin, and Mr Collins approached, his hair slimily shining in the candlelight and smelling of something decidedly pungent. Lizzy despaired at leaving Jane alone, but it was to Mr Darcy's great credit that he quietly approached and requested her hand for the set. Knowing she was not universally scorned seemed to do wonders for Jane's countenance, and she gave the imposing man a small smile as they walked off.

A glance at Elizabeth gave Mr Darcy the pleasure to see a much bigger, dazzling smile on her face, and his heart beat just a tad faster at the sight.

* * *

To say her set with Mr Collins was tolerable would be an overstatement. She was aware of Lydia's tendency towards the dramatic, but she could not help but wonder at the accuracy of her description. Mr Collins' jolting movements and ability to step on her toes as often as the music allowed, made for a rather weary Elizabeth by the end of the set. She bore as little of his conversation as acceptable, then sneaked off to fall into a chair next to Charlotte along the wall furthest from her cousin and his constant praise of herself and Lady Catherine.

 _Would this night not come to an end?_ she wondered. As she conversed with Charlotte about everything and nothing in particular, her eyes searched for Jane. She stood with her father and Mr Darcy, sipping a cup of tea and looking far better than before the dance. Mr Bingley stood conversing with Miss Bingley in subdued tones, and it was evident by the look on dear Caroline's face that she was well aware of Miss Bennet's refusal. A strange mixture of triumph, spite, and disdain graced her visage, and it did nothing at all for her appearance. She stalked off into the direction Of Mr Darcy and his company, and Elizabeth rushed to her feet, determined to intervene before dear Caroline's snubbing of her family, and simpering towards Mr Darcy could once more take up the next quarter of an hour.

"Papa! You **must** dance with Jane," she whispered as she slipped into a chair next to him, "I know you despise it but if you do not Miss Bingley's anger may make Jane inconsolable once more. I know about her and Mr Bingley, and I hope you can see she made the choice that best supports her future felicity." Mr Bennet only nodded, stood, whispered to Jane, and walked off with her to join Mary at the pianoforte, and hopefully avoid Miss Bingley until the end of the next set.

With Elizabeth now standing next to Mr Darcy, and the subject of her disdain situated in another corner of the room, Caroline faced quite the dilemma. Intervene and save Mr Darcy from that country chit's incessant babbling, or gain satisfaction by proving to that utterly charmless – yes she had said she is lovely, but she was trying to stay in Charles' good graces – Jane her own superiority and that of the Bingley family?

At last, her desire to better herself in the eyes of such a rich and influential man won, and she tittered her way to his side.

"Oh, Mr Darcy! You cannot possibly wish to spend the rest of your evening conversing with all these country folk can you?" Mr Bingley's pain at Jane's refusal now giving her leave to be as openly conceited as she may like. "Why I was just noting to Louisa that you have spent all evening so far in the company of either Miss Eliza or her sister. Truly that cannot have been any pleasure for yourself. As it stands, I do not yet have a partner for the next set and I'm sure we would have a delightful dance together, don't you agree?" she simpered, batting her eyes with all the skill of one greatly practiced in the art of brainless flattery. At least that is what Lizzy told herself.

"Miss Bingley, I assure you I have been in wonderful company. But should you not be with your brother, especially in light of this evening's events?" he asked quite boldly, surprising both himself and Elizabeth at his own impertinence.

At this Miss Bingley paled ever so slightly, or perhaps it was only her excessive make-up which hid the true extent of her horror and, with a little huff of indignation, she spun on her heel and returned to Charles.

"Mr Darcy! I must say your impertinence may soon rival my own!" Elizabeth said mirthfully, "I have not seen Miss Bingley so disconcerted since your comments on our turn about the room at Netherfield!"

"In truth, those comments were referring to you far more than to her," Mr Darcy countered with a grin. "I do hope Bingley will recover from this, although I did advise him to perhaps return to London for a time. To clear his head, and gain some distance from his sisters' ill advice," he said in a sombre tone.

"I know it hurt Jane to turn him down, but we promised each other we would only ever marry for the deepest love and affection, and I plan to hold her to it," replied Elizabeth earnestly.

 _Can a woman be more singular?_ thought Darcy. He had come to the ball quite determined to ensure he parted with Elizabeth as friends. The events of the evening, though dramatic for many, had revealed to him he could never leave on those terms. He knew he would have to act, but it did not feel like the right time so instead, he spent the remainder of the evening watching Elizabeth from the edges of the room.

Their supper set was spent in happy conversation of subjects of little importance, apart from providing each with a better understanding of the other's character. While seated for the meal itself their talk turned to Georgiana, and Pemberley, and Mr Darcy's great enthusiasm in speaking of both served only to endear him to Elizabeth even more.

* * *

During the carriage ride home, Lydia and Kitty's ecstasy at the grandeur and opulence of the ball, having never attended an event of its scale, was palpable. Jane seemed quiet, but content with the outcome. Mary glowed slightly, having received at least two compliments on her playing after her father insisted she play something cheerful for Jane's sake. Mr Collins filled the carriage with his great joy at being so pleasantly occupied for the entirety of the evening. Mrs Bennet sat brooding in the corner, refusing to speak to anyone but Lydia, and Elizabeth was lost in her own imagination, with a pink tinge on her cheeks, as she remembered the feeling of Mr Darcy's hand steadily holding her own as he helped her into the carriage.

As soon as the family arrived home, each member retired; Lizzy and Jane to their shared room where a few more tears and tight hugs were shared along with words of encouragement. Lydia and Kitty rushed off to their bed chattering about their dance partners and noting that, while Mr Bingley had seemed rather despondent, he had at least danced with Lydia once, no doubt in honour of her insistence he have the ball in the first place. Mary, walking past her eldest sisters' rooms heard their whispers and knocked lightly on the door. When no answer came she moved to quickly remove to her own room, embarrassment evident on her face, when Lizzy cracked open the door ever so slightly, peeked at the person outside, and grabbed Mary's arm, pulling her through the door.

"Jane, I know mama must be quite upset with you for turning down Mr Bingley but, even though it may not mean all that much, I wanted to say I support you. You have been nothing but good and kind, and I believe God will reward you with happiness - you need only to be patient and have faith in His goodness towards His children."

At that both Jane and Lizzy pulled Mary into their embrace as a pleased smile crossed Mary's face. Once Mary, left both sisters fell into bed and their thoughts wandered to all the times they had thought Mary cold and distant. To Lizzy, it seemed that lately, her ability to judge a person's character was almost non-existent. She had misjudged not only Mr Darcy, but Mr Wickham, Mary, and her dearest sister Jane as well. _Perhaps I ought to refrain from the activity entirely for the foreseeable future._ Unfortunately for her habits, once made, are difficult to get rid of.

At a very late hour, after a long discussion, many angry tears, and a good amount of smelling salts, the candles in Mrs Bennet's first, then Mr Bennet's chamber, were extinguished. Peace reigned throughout the Bennet household, with only a solitary candle still burning merrily away.

In the guest room, Mr William Collins proceeded to plan a most romantic offer to his dearest Cousin Elizabeth. He knew, without a doubt, she would accept, and his most gracious and condescending patroness would be delighted with his choice of wife. _Perhaps I should add that to my speech,_ he said to himself.

Yes, Mr Collins was to be made a very happy man the next morning, and nothing would stand in his way.


	4. Mrs Bennet's Great Vexation

" **Elizabeth Bennet** , come to the drawing-room immediately!" a shrill voice called from the bottom of the stairway.

"I will be there shortly mama!" the lady in question replied, trying desperately not to yell, or grimace at the thought of what was to come.

Mr Collins had requested her company, and she dreaded having to spend the next half an hour showing him around the garden unchaperoned. Mama had flown into her room at an ungodly hour, which made Lizzy incredibly suspicious as her mother rarely rose before ten o'clock, insisting she wear her best dress – "not the one from last night, mind you" – and come down stairs as soon as she had finished.

Lizzy's stubbornness forced her to take an enormous amount of time more than she usually would, and she made sure to wear her most unbecoming brown frock with copious amounts of lace, and frills along every hem exposed to human sight. To compliment her decidedly dull outfit, she instructed Beth to fix her hair in as unflattering a style as possible, at which the dear girl of just about seventeen dissolved into a fit of giggles and stated "You best be calling Hill when you go, Mrs Bennet won't be taking yer appearance with great ease."

"ELIZABETH!" another yell filled the air, shaking the very foundations of the house, and forcing Lizzy to at last walk down the stairs as slowly as possible without further infuriating her mother. At least, with Mr Collins'imminent proposal mama had forgotten to be angry at Jane and herself. Elizabeth dreaded the conversation they would no doubt have once she returned from refusing her annoying cousin.

"Mama, I'm coming!" said she, as she stepped into the drawing room to a series of reactions that greatly tried her ability to not guffaw like a madwoman and collapse onto the nearest chair.

Mrs Bennet turned a bright shade of red, and stared angrily at Lizzy as she stood with _utter_ innocence in the doorway. Thankfully Mr Collins was already seated on a chair near the pianoforte, and so Mrs Bennet's verbal abuse would have to wait until after their walk.

Mr Collins, the poor fellow, gaped at the sight before him with wide eyes, his mouth opening and shutting like a fish desperately trying not to suffocate. Lydia and Kitty, who sat pretending to embroider handkerchiefs, simultaneously let out a "Lord" and then had coughing fits as they attempted to hide their laughter. Even Mary and Jane's eyes started to shimmer as they tried, with varying degrees of success, to conceal their mirth. _Mary of all people! Laughing!_ the thought made Lizzy's struggle to maintain an air of innocence quite nearly impossible. She had forgotten this dress was the first Lydia and Kitty had attempted to alter, and they had sown on so many patches of lace, and in such skew patterns, that the whole outfit had been thrown into the back of the cupboard. _Saved for a day such as this!_ thought Lizzy, no longer able to hide her smile.

"Shall we, Mr Collins?" she managed to squeak out as Kitty rushed from the room and her giggles could be heard skipping down the hallway.

"Why, uh, yes, of course, _dear_ Cousin Elizabeth." the poor man stuttered as he arose from his seat and collected his walking stick.

The two made their way along a path that led to the border between Netherfield and Longbourn and Mr Collins remained awkwardly quiet for the better part of fifteen minutes until finally, with a loud cough, and an even louder "uhem", he stopped near a large tree and turned to face Elizabeth.

* * *

At Netherfield, the morning had been no less chaotic. Bingley, still upset from the evening before, had decided to heed Darcy's advice and leave to London that very morning. Mr Darcy himself had made known his wish to stay behind under the pretext of settling a few more matters with the newly appointed steward, and at learning this Caroline begged Louisa to persuade Mr Hurst to remain as well. She would not leave Mr Darcy alone in this savage country if she could help it!

As Mr Bingley intended to ride to London on horseback, the Hursts did not take much convincing to extend their stay a few more days, and then meet with Charles in London early the next week. So it was that with a brisk goodbye, and nary a glance in Longbourn's direction that he sped his horse along the road to town. His heartbreak had been acute but, as most of his romantic trysts, would be rather short lived. Unable to remain unhappy for extended periods of time, as it was ill suited to his friendly manners, he was in London for less than a se'nnight when his mood improved, and he was seen once more at the theatre with his younger sister and old friends.

But as it stood, that Wednesday morning had been unbearable for Mr Darcy. With Bingley gone, and the Hursts remaining as dormant as ever, Miss Bingley rained down her attention on the man without mercy. It was while she went to see to the menu for the luncheon with Netherfield's longsuffering housekeeper that Mr Darcy made good his escape, and set off in the direction of Longbourn, both to inquire as to Jane's wellbeing, and perhaps spend some more time in Elizabeth's company.

* * *

"Dearest Elizabeth!" Mr Collins began.

"Why, sir, I do not recall giving you leave to use my Christian name!" Lizzy couldn't help but blurt out.

"Of course, of course! Your respect for propriety is incredibly endearing!" he said, giving little mind to the implication of her statement. "I must inform you, dear cousin, that I came to Longbourn intent on bridging the gap created by my esteemed father with that of your own. However that was not my only reason for visiting. The most gracious and wise Lady Catherine made it quite clear that I was to return to Hunsford with the promise of a wife, and after spending much time in your company, and that of your sisters, I can say with certainty that _you_ , dear, would be exactly the wife Lady Catherine would wish me to take. As such, I hope you will accept the great honour of becoming my wife, and living under the most condescending presence and merciful patronage of the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her most excellent daughter." this he proceeded to say with barely a hint of emotion except for great admiration when mentioning the great Lady of Rosings.

"Mr Collins," began Elizabeth, but was cut short by the man spinning into another droning account of the many privileges a position as his wife would provide.

"Mr Collins!" she finally cut in, "I appreciate your offer, but I am afraid I _must_ refuse! You and I are entirely unsuited to each other, and from what I've heard of Lady Catherine I must add that I doubt I would be able to live peacefully with her constant presence."

"Oh how delightful! Your modesty is quite becoming my dear! I know ladies such as yourself are inclined to refuse the first offer made by the man they most certainly intend to marry! You need not flatter me so, only accept my proposal dear Elizabeth, and let us be joined as one in the sight of God and men!"

* * *

Darcy had been walking at a leisurely pace towards Longbourn when he heard Elizabeth's voice and smiled. His countenance quickly changed when his mind registered her words, and he listened in quiet indignation to discover who would be so bold as to propose to _his_ Elizabeth. It was all he could do to not step out from behind the bush he was using as a hiding place and challenge the man to a duel. _I am being ridiculous,_ he thought, _utterly ridiculous. But who could possibly think they are good enough for her? Both her intellect and wit is are equal to, if not above, my own, and I have not met a man in Hertfordshire better for her than myself!_

At this, Mr Collins voiced his part of the conversation, and as he mentioned Elizabeth and himself being joined as one, Mr Darcy could bear his shock and anger no longer and strode over to the two.

"Mr Darcy!" Elizabeth squeaked and dropped to a low curtsey as she tried to hide her flaming cheeks. _Oh isn't it just perfect that he arrives in the middle of this never-ending proposal!_ she thought, quite annoyed at the timing.

"Miss Bennet." Darcy said with a quick bow in her direction.

Here Mr Collins made himself heard, "Mr Darcy, why I hope we did not disturb your walk! My dearest cousin here was just about to make me incredibly happy by accepting my offer of marriage!"

"Is that so, Mr Collins?" Darcy said, with just the slightest hint of contempt in his tone, "Did I not hear Miss Elizabeth say she would **not** accept?"

Elizabeth flashed Darcy a small smile of thanks, and once again he found it difficult to breathe.

"Well you know how it is with the members of the fairer sex, when they say no, they quite often mean yes!" Mr Collins stated matter-of-factly.

Darcy was now close to seething. _Does this buffoon have no respect? I swear he will not come near Elizabeth again with his slime and disgusting behaviour! Not if I have something to do with it._

Realizing a little deceit, and a whole lot of tact, would be necessary to save Elizabeth from the twiddling fool, Mr Darcy replied, matching his tone with that of Mr Collins', "You cannot truly believe _my aunt_ , whose thoughts and opinions I am **very** well acquainted with, would possibly find Miss Elizabeth at all suitable to be a parson's wife? She is far too impertinent and far too lively! Rather, I believe my aunt would be greatly disappointed with your choice!"

Elizabeth couldn't help but feel a little hurt at his words, and turned away as she tried to conceal her anger and unhappiness.

"Why, I believed Miss Elizabeth would be quite easily tamed after she became my wife, but if you, Mr Darcy, whose excellent opinion I cannot ignore, know it to be the opposite I cannot but heed your advice and retract!" Mr Collins exclaimed. Turning to Elizabeth who had now gained some composure he said, without a hint of emotion, "Well, as you can see, I was wrong to ask you. I know you must be quite disappointed, cousin, but I have no choice but to withdraw my offer."

Mr Collins made to return to Longbourn, but not without once more thanking Mr Darcy for his kind and most sagacious advice.

When Mr Colllins had disappeared from earshot, Elizabeth turned to face Mr Darcy, "I do not know whether to thank you, or be angry with you, sir." she said heatedly.

"Miss Elizabeth, please understand, I said all that only to convince him to leave you be. Although my aunt may have agreed with my words, I feel I cannot continue without telling you of my admiration for your intelligence and kindness, and acknowledging that you are indeed the most handsome woman of my acquaintance – even in this ridiculous dress you no doubt wore to discourage that vile little man." The last part he said with a good humoured twinkle in his eye.

Elizabeth was stunned into silence, while a wave of red swept across her cheeks. She couldn't face Mr Darcy, and certainly could not look him in the eye.

"Miss Elizabeth," he said cautiously as he took one of her hands in his own. At the contact, Elizabeth let out a small gasp, and only barely managed not to pluck her hand away. "I know you do not love me. Your consent to be my friend shows your great mercy, after the despicable things I said of you and your family, and the way I acted earlier in our acquaintance." as he spoke he gently lifted her chin so she could see the uncertainty in his own eyes. The depth of emotion she observed made her forget to breathe and she stood frozen as he continued, his hands returning to her own. "Even though you do not return my feelings yet it is impossible for me _not_ to hope. I have to, I **must** ask if there is any possibility of you doing so in the future? If there is, I beg your permission to call on you at Longbourn."

Elizabeth could feel his hands trembling slightly in her own as she tried to process the meaning behind his words. He was right, she did not love him… yet. _But I also haven't ever considered the possibility. I am undoubtedly attracted to him, but_ _ **is**_ _it love? Could it ever be love?_ The feeling of her hands cradled gently in Mr Darcy's seemed to make the decision for her.

"I would be delighted to receive you, sir." she whispered shyly.

"You cannot imagine how happy that makes me, Miss Elizabeth." whispered Mr Darcy with great fervour. He drew one of her hands to his lips and placed the lightest of kisses on her knuckles. Elizabeth blushed once more, and impulsively Mr Darcy lifted her other hand and brushed his lips gently across her palm. The electricity of his actions was palpable to them both.

Her emotions running away with her, Elizabeth became determined to lighten the mood. She informed Mr Darcy she would have to return to Longbourn. She quietly dreaded her reception as Mr Collins no doubt already made known his change of mind, based solely on her unsuitability for marriage. Mrs Bennet's predictions would be confirmed, her Lizzy would become a spinster.

"Would it be all too forward to accompany you home? I believe I should speak to your father about a courtship. Perhaps the news of this may soften the blow to your mother's nerves after two daughters refuse their suitors in less than a day."

"I'd be grateful for your company, sir, but I do not wish you to be the subject of my mother's effusions, nor be witness to her despair." Secretly Lizzy thought Mr Darcy would be all the more likely to withdraw from the courtship if exposed to too much of her mama.

"Miss Elizabeth," Darcy sighed internally at the formality of his address, "I would do anything to ease your discomfort. Please allow me to bring even the slightest peace of mind to your family. Besides, I _must_ speak to your father of Mr Wickham. I cannot allow him to hurt another soul, when I am perfectly capable of exposing him for the lying cheat he is."

"That is very kind of you, sir. I am sure between the two of us and my father we can find a way to rid Meryton of Mr Wickham's influence." As they walked, Mr Darcy grabbed her hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. Elizabeth smiled at his eagerness, and Darcy couldn't help but wonder at his luck. Having only been intent on spending time in Elizabeth's company, he had now obtained infinitely more.

* * *

When the couple arrived at Longbourn, the house was in an uproar.

Mrs Bennet, it seems, at hearing Mr Collins had undergone a decided change of heart, immediately placed the blame on Lizzy. _That dratted girl! Wearing horrific clothing, and mouthing off at everyone! Oh dear, my heart cannot take it! First Jane, now Elizabeth! Do my children want me to die of heartbreak?!_

The latter part of her thoughts was repeated aloud, and soon became a frazzled, maddening chant. With Elizabeth still absent from the house, Jane had to bear the brunt of her mother's nerves and palpitations. Less than five minutes after Mr Collins' removal from Longbourn after informing Mrs Bennet of his withdrawal from the proposal, the excitable lady gave a loud groan and sank to the floor with a thud.

"Mama!" yelled Jane, Mary, and Lydia in unison, as they rushed to her side.

"Kitty! Go fetch papa! Tell him mama needs a doctor immediately!" Kitty ran off to the library with a look of terror across her face.

"I will go fetch Hill and perhaps the stable boy. We must get mama off the floor." Mary said calmly and hurried in the direction of the kitchen.

Mr Bennet, after being tearfully informed by Kitty of the reason behind Mrs Bennet's collapse, raced to Meryton on horseback. The town doctor, Mr Ferrars, a rather young but very reliable man, returned on his own horse with Mr Bennet not fifteen minutes later.

Mrs Bennet, still unconscious, lay pale on her bed as Hill placed a cool cloth on her forehead. It was winter, and yet Mrs Bennet's skin felt decidedly warm.

It was soon after the arrival of Mr Ferrars that Darcy and Elizabeth returned to Longbourn, to find Kitty and Lydia sobbing in the corner of the parlour, Jane shakily instructing the few servants to follow Mr Ferrars' every instruction, and Mary showing her father and the doctor himself to her mother's chamber.

Lizzy rushed to Jane's side and was quickly informed of the events prior to her return. As she turned to as Mr Darcy to excuse her while she went to see if she could help her father in some way Lydia leaped forward crying loudly, "This is all your fault, Lizzy! Why did you have to be so stubborn! At least Jane has a promising future! You refused the only man who would EVER want to marry you, and now mama is going to **die**!"

At this Kitty relapsed into loud sobbing, and Elizabeth could feel the tears prick her own eyes. Lydia had always been very dear to her mother, and no doubt these angry words were just a manifestation of her fear.

"Oh dearest, mama will recover, we must not lose hope!" she exclaimed as Lydia fell into her arms and clung to her as tightly as possible.

Mr Darcy, not wanting to intrude on what was most obviously a family matter, quietly told Elizabeth he would return later that evening and made his way out of the door. He was unhappy that their joy had been so quickly spoiled, but he couldn't very well say it aloud. Elizabeth loved her mother despite her shortcomings, and he would offer her as much support as he possibly could.

After what felt like a lifetime Mr Ferrars, their father, and Mary returned downstairs. The latter two looked grave but not despondent.

"Do not be alarmed, ladies." the kindly man said.

"Your mother suffered an attack on her heart, but I am certain she will recover if allowed enough rest, and kept away from anything that will give her any anxiety. I have instructed Miss Mary on how to administer the tonics and medicine I left upstairs, and I promise to return on the morrow to check on her." All the occupants of the room sighed in relief.

"She may still remain unconscious for some time, but if she doesn't develop any further symptoms I expect her to make a full recovery within, at most, two weeks. She will have to be careful not to overexert herself, but other than that, she should be perfectly fine."

While Mary saw the doctor to his horse, the remaining Bennets sat in quiet conversation until their father, unable to bear any further speculation, returned to his library and delved into a book he had been meaning to finish.

Here Elizabeth found him an hour later, having checked on her mother, and comforted her youngest sisters who had again taken to quietly crying in their room.

"Papa?" she said quietly.

"Yes dear? Do come in." was his reply.

"I know this may not be the right time, but I must speak to you of Lydia and Kitty."

Mr Bennet motioned for her to sit, and she plopped into the chair she had used so often before it had just about taken the shape of her body.

"I realize Lydia and Kitty are very strong-minded, and I know you see their silliness in public. I don't believe they act that way on purpose, but I feel that we have overlooked them somehow; neglected their improvement." Lizzy paused, hoping her father would not be offended. When he gave her a sad smile, she found the courage to continue.

"I think they will both be quite subdued for a while after mama's incident, and I was hoping it would be the right time to perhaps hire a governess for them. We have more than enough room to house her, and I just **know** that with some discipline and the right encouragement they can improve greatly. Kitty loves to paint, and Lydia's singing voice is not at all unpleasant. If they could develop their talents, along with reading and the like, I am sure they would turn out beautiful, sensible girls."

Mr Bennet did not reply, but seemed to stare past Elizabeth in thought.

"Please consider it papa." Lizzy pleaded.

Returning his focus to his favourite daughter, Mr Bennet nodded and replied "Lizzy, I think you are right. Jane, Mary, and yourself seem to have grown into wonderful women with very distinct personalities, without the help of anyone in particular, but it does not mean Lydia and Kitty will do the same. Perhaps a governess is exactly what they need to finally come into their own as young women."

"Oh thank you, papa!" said Lizzy earnestly.

"Anything for you, my dear - now off you go! Here, I found a book you may enjoy." he said handing her a rather worn volume, "I will see to getting the girls a governess as soon as may be."

Walking around his desk, Elizabeth gave her father a quick hug before heading towards the door.

As she was about to leave, she changed her mind and quickly turned with one last request; "Papa?"

"Yes, Lizzy?" her father asked.

"Mr Darcy wished to speak to you this morning but considering the events that occurred he requested to return once more this evening. I gave him permission to do so, as he and I have to speak to you about a matter concerning Mr Wickham."

"Hm, is that all your Mr Darcy wishes to speak to me about?" Mr Bennet teased with a sly smile.

"Papa! He is not _my_ Mr Darcy! You are becoming just as bad as mama!" at this both father and daughter became sombre at the thought of Mrs Bennet's ailment.

Not for too long though as Mr Bennet, always one to see the humour in a situation, replied with a laugh "Dear, no one could beat your mother, not even Aunt Phillips with a month's worth of unshared gossip."

Elizabeth left the library with a chuckle and Mr Bennet smiled merrily to himself. _Those two think I'm a blind idiot if they believe I haven't noticed their attachment. Dear Lizzy, I doubt you will remain at Longbourn all too long and I will miss you dreadfully. For now, however, I am content to watch my daughter fall in love. Knowing Lizzy, it ought to be quite entertaining._

With that Mr Bennet found a piece of blank paper and began to write in search of a governess for his youngest daughters. His smug smile, however, did not leave his face.

 **A/N:**

Guys, your reviews just melt my little P&P loving heart into a puddle of mushiness. Seriously I love the ideas and encouragement!

Just to relieve some stress for you all; I REALLY don't like angst. I know it plays an important role in most fanfics, but I don't think it's essential to an interesting story. I kind of get annoyed with fics that put Darcy and Elizabeth on a perpetual rollercoaster of love and hate. It's tiring.

I'm so excited to get the next few chapters out, and I promise I'll be focusing more on each sister as we progress, and yes, more D&E fluff is coming. I think they've had enough stress in every other fanfic out there to warrant a little break from the intense angst. Not that there won't be drama, but with more than 10 other characters to play with, I don't think our favourite couple has to experience all of it.

ALSO! Where in the world is Mr Collins? Anyone like to hazard a guess? It's not that difficult really, after all, I don't want to change the ENTIRE story!


	5. Of Courtship and Companionship

Mrs Bennet remained abed for the rest of the day. Small fits of wakefulness broke her deep sleep, but never for long enough to talk to anyone or move from her position. Mary and Hill remained at her side for much of the day administering the medicines Mr Ferrars had left behind, and Jane and Lizzy took turns sitting by her side while the others rested.

Lydia and Kitty had sat with their mother too, but their chatter had eventually been deemed too lively to afford Mrs Bennet any rest, and they had been sent out of the room. It seemed that after a few more tears and some minutes pondering Mr Ferrars' prediction neither felt any more fear and were quite happy to continue on as if nothing remiss had occurred.

* * *

Just before supper, while Jane sat embroidering on a chair next to her mother's bed, Mrs Bennet quietly began to mumble. Jane rushed to her side, fearing she felt ill once more, or was uncomfortable somehow.

"Mama, what can I do?" she whispered earnestly.

"Where is Lydia? Lydia! My child! You are your poor mother's only hope" came the confused mumbling once more.

"Oh! My children have failed me! They've failed me!" she cried in a much louder voice, and then just as suddenly fell once more into a fitful sleep.

Tears ran down Jane's cheeks unchecked. Her mother's pain, and her insistence that her daughters had failed her was too much for Jane's gentle soul to bear and she fell on her knees at her mother's side desperately trying to console both herself and the pale lady who lay trembling in her sleep.

"Oh mama!" she said in a strangled voice, "I am so sorry. So very, very sorry. If I had known how this would affect you I would never have refused Mr Bingley's offer of courtship." for indeed that was what he had requested, and not her hand in marriage as everyone seemed to presume. She could not accept him even then, as she would not lead him to believe an attachment had formed when she could not see herself being happy as a result of it. "Please mama, please forgive me! I beg of you!" her tears had formed a wet patch on the bed linen but she remained oblivious as she poured out her heart to her unconscious mother. "I always believed Mr Bingley to be the perfect type of man for me. He was so kind, so gentle but, oh mama, he just didn't spark my interest. He didn't make me _feel._ I thought I could grow to love him eventually, but Lizzy so insisted I should be sure of my feelings, I could not risk my future on what may or may not occur between myself and Mr Bingley. Please understand, mama. Please do not hate me for my actions." No longer able to speak, Jane collapsed further onto the bed and cried quietly into her mother's hand.

Later, her tears spent, she arose and quietly left the room after placing a kiss on her mother's forehead.

* * *

Mr Darcy arrived promptly after supper, and Lydia made a great show of her surprise at his visit considering Mr Bingley's absence.

With Mr Collins still in the wind, supper had been a quiet affair and had ended quite early, and so Mr Darcy sat quietly conversing with Elizabeth and Jane in the drawing room while Mary played out a tune far livelier than the situation seemed to call for. He inquired after Mrs Bennet's wellbeing, and after being reassured she was not in great danger, turned to Jane to inform her of Mr Bingley's departure.

"Miss Bennet, I know you had no wish to cause my friend any pain but perhaps this trip to London, after the events at the ball, will impress on him the necessity to be more constant, more earnest in his attentions." Elizabeth marveled at his ability sympathise, and once again berated herself for so quickly misjudging the man. _He honestly seems to be an entirely different person!_ she thought.

"I can only wish him the greatest happiness, Mr Darcy, even if his path to it must temporarily cause him pain." _Jane has always been wise beyond her years,_ Lizzy added to herself.

At this Jane arose to see to tea and Mr Darcy and Elizabeth found themselves sitting next to each other, and at quite a distance (if that could be said considering the size of Longbourn's drawing room) from Mary, and Lydia and Kitty who were sewing ribbons onto their bonnets.

"I spoke to my father about acquiring a governess for Lydia and Kitty. He seemed quite open to the idea, and I hope we can have her here before mama becomes strong enough to protest. She insists there is nothing wrong with their comportment and that neither need to develop their talents because they are already _quite pretty_ and _so lively_ " Elizabeth said quietly.

"Your sisters may be unruly, but I assure you they are not beyond improvement. For that they would have to reach Miss Bingley's level and even they do not yet have the right combination of silliness, ignorance, and blind ambition." Mr Darcy countered with a smile. He liked teasing Elizabeth because every time he did so she would look at him with surprise, and then present him with a delighted grin that made him fall head over heels once more.

"Why Mr Darcy, I cannot condone your teasing! It seems you have caught this terrible ailment from myself, and will soon be surpassing even my own capabilities!" she said with a smile.

"Impossible, madam!" he said with a mock air of seriousness.

This interaction did not go unnoticed by every occupant of the room. At some point Mary had stopped playing and stared shyly at the two who sat happily conversing on the sofa.

Mary had always been sure she would never be so weak as to fall in love. Her sense of duty and her intelligence would most assuredly not allow it! Besides, her appearance was so decidedly plain that she had been told many times that finding her a husband would be a task even the great Mrs Bennet would struggle to complete.

 _No, love is fickle and makes people act without reason. I will have no part in it._

At least that's what she had told herself until recently. A few minutes in conversation with a certain cheery-faced, dark-haired man had managed to sway her opinions most alarmingly. She would not be so naïve as to call it love, but she had to admit her interest had been piqued.

This realization made her the slightest bit more cheerful and generated a sincere curiosity as she observed the attachment forming between her sister and Mr Darcy.

Finally, aware that her inactivity would not go by unnoticed she returned to her playing and chose a light-hearted melody to accompany her decidedly pleasant thoughts. For once she did not feel the urge to hide behind one of Fordyce's sermons at the slightest show of emotion by the people surrounding her.

"Miss Elizabeth, as much as I would enjoy staying seated here with you for the remainder of the evening, I fear I must do what I came here for this evening. I must speak to your father about Wickham." Mr Darcy said, after enjoying a lively debate on the merits of Shakespeare's tragedies as opposed to his comedies.

"Of course. Do you still wish me to accompany you?" she asked.

"If you do not mind, then yes, I would greatly appreciate it." he said, offering his hand to help her from her seat. She placed her own in his cautiously, aware that the memory of this morning would make her face turn crimson. Instead of relinquishing his hold on her once they stood, he acted with the least amount of propriety she had ever seen him exhibit, and he pulled her by the hand out of the room and in the direction of her father's library.

As they reached the door, he placed a chaste kiss on her fingers, and whispered: "I hope you did not forget my other reason for seeking an audience with your father tonight."

Without waiting for her reply he dropped her hand and knocked on the door before him.

Elizabeth barely had time to compose herself when she heard her father grunt "Come in!" and although her complexion had once again returned to a state of normalcy, she walked into the room with an idiotic smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes.

Mr Darcy proceeded to lay out Mr Wickham's actions to the aged gentleman sitting behind his desk with a curious smile playing on his lips. The smile soon vanished when he heard the extent of Wickham's lies and cheating, and he agreed wholeheartedly with both Darcy and Elizabeth that Lydia and Kitty should be kept away from the man, and the shopkeepers and gentlefolk of Meryton be informed.

"I know this may be an unorthodox solution, but I propose that on your next visit to your Aunt Phillips, Lizzy, you recount to her all that you and Mr Darcy deem appropriate. With your Aunt's ability to gossip all of Meryton, if not all of Hertfordshire, will be warned before the day is up." Mr Bennet said with some amusement.

"I am not known to condone gossip, sir, but perhaps this will be the most effective way to warn the inhabitants of the county without revealing who gave away the information." Mr Darcy stated in consent.

"Miss Elizabeth, if you can manage to convey the message to your aunt, I am sure we will be able to avert Wickham's plans to hurt any other women or businesses. Only, I beg of you, make it clear to your aunt that she _cannot_ reveal you provided her with the gossip. I cannot have Wickham think you were responsible for his punishment." said he, turning towards the object of his address.

"Of course, sir! Anything to save more people from falling prey to his lies." she replied.

"Mr Bennet's eyes flicked merrily between the two, and with not a little cheekiness, he asked, "Well! Now that we are in agreement on how to proceed, is there anything else I can help you two with?"

Here Mr Darcy gave Lizzy a shy glance, and her face changed colour once more. She had a horrible time debating whether she would like to stay, or run to her room and hide her face in a pillow, during the next conversation.

Eventually her dislike of cowardice won out and she gave Mr Darcy a small smile and nod.

"Mr Bennet, I do have one more thing to discuss with you."

"Oh indeed?" Mr Bennet said matter-of-factly, greatly enjoying his daughter's obvious embarrassment at what he knew was coming. He only hoped Mr Darcy was not already asking for her hand. He could not imagine losing his Lizzy so soon.

"I know my actions at the beginning of my stay in Hertfordshire were reprehensible, to say the least, and I did nothing to recommend myself to its residents or your family. However, I have always held a great admiration for your daughter's kindness and spirit." at which Lizzy suddenly studied the wallpaper next to her with great interest. "A chance meeting on Oakham Mount gave me the opportunity to apologize, and it was I who intervened when Mr Collins would not accept her refusal of his proposal this morning. What I want to respectfully ask of you sir," Darcy took a quick look at Elizabeth, "is your permission to call on your daughter so we may further our acquaintance."

Mr Bennet leaned back in his chair, most happily entertained. "Well Mr Darcy, although I am surprised at your request, I will not stand in the way of your courtship of dear Lydia." At this Mr Bennet could hardly control his mirth.

Darcy paled considerably and stuttered, "Excuse me? Sir, uhm, I believe you are perhaps… mistaken."

"Oh is it Kitty you wish to know better then?" Mr Bennet said with a yelp of laughter.

Elizabeth started giggling too and hid her face in her hands.

"Perhaps you are incredibly interested in Mary's opinions of Fordyce. Yes I suppose you wish to court her!" Henry Bennet had not been this amused in quite some time.

Mr Darcy had at first been terribly confused, but finally realized he was being teased and managed to interrupt Mr Bennet's laughter by good-naturedly fixing his previous mistake of not mentioning Elizabeth by name. "I see where Miss Elizabeth gets her sense of humour from, sir, but I must clarify that it is her I wish to court." he said with a smile.

"Well I warn you now, Mr Darcy, that Elizabeth rarely does not get her way, and so I will leave this decision entirely up to her. If she agrees, you have my consent, and may I thank you personally for stopping that silly little man from trying to convince my _favourite_ daughter to sacrifice her own happiness." his emphasis on the word 'favourite' did not go unnoticed by Darcy.

"So, what do you say, Lizzy? Are you inclined to know more of Mr Darcy, or should I banish him from Longbourn post-haste?" Mr Bennet did indeed have a love for the ridiculous.

"Oh papa, I have already given my consent. No banishment is necessary, yet." she added with a wink and a mischievous smile.

"Well it seems my work for the evening is done! Please ask Lydia and Kitty to bring me my tea, I must talk to them about getting a governess, and I would rather do it now while Lydia cannot run directly to her mother in search of an ally against me." chuckled Mr Bennet as he returned to his work.

Elizabeth and Darcy both slipped out of the library and made their way back to the parlour.

"I must say I see the resemblance between you and your father more clearly each day; thankfully only in relation to your wit and humour. I do not think I could bear you sitting in a library all day, and ignoring my company." he added with a smile.

"Well, I'm glad to hear our endless laughter hasn't frightened you off yet, sir." she countered.

They joined Mary and Jane for tea, the other two having been sent to the library with curiosity evident upon their faces.

Lizzy noticed Mr Darcy make a conscious effort to draw Jane and Mary into the conversation, and she felt a great sense of gratitude for his consideration. At last, when propriety dictated he return home, Elizabeth accompanied him to his horse.

Lydia and Kitty had not yet returned.

* * *

"Miss Elizabeth," Darcy said as they exited the house and walked towards Gaius, "could I perhaps call on you tomorrow morning? Will you take a walk as usual, or do the circumstances with your mother prevent it?"

"I should imagine I will be outdoors between eight and ten o'clock tomorrow morning. The doctor will arrive shortly after that to examine mama, and I would be needed at home," was her reply. "I would be delighted with your company on my walk." she added.

"It is settled then," he smiled "I will meet you outside Longbourn at eight, Miss Elizabeth. However, now I must bid you goodnight," said he bringing her hand towards his face.

"I look forward to it," she said, "oh and Mr Darcy, please call me Elizabeth."

Mr Darcy's delight threw all respect for propriety out the window and he kissed both her hands repeatedly before whispering his farewell once more, mounting Gaius, and galloping into the night.

Only halfway to Netherfield did he realize he had never given Elizabeth permission to use his Christian name as well, and he spent the last part of the ride cursing himself and his inability to think while in her presence.

Surprised at Mr Darcy's fervent show of affection, and a bit embarrassed at her own forwardness at asking him to drop the formalities surrounding her name, Elizabeth stood in the cold night air for a while longer than usual, before returning to a bombardment of curious questions from Jane and Mary, and a display of Lydia and Kitty's anger at having a governess forced upon them.

Mr Collins returned at an incredibly late hour, looking all too pleased with himself. He made his excuses to the ladies of the house and removed to his bedroom almost immediately. Despite the mixture of emotions felt by each of the sisters, they all heaved a sigh of relief when he disappeared down the hall and did not make an appearance again that night.

 **A/N:**

Hi there all you awesome people!

So there's been a lot of 'yes, drama!'and 'no drama!" in the comments. In the end, I'm writing this story to give the characters the attention and endings **I** would have liked to see them have. This will probably make a few readers unhappy or unsatisfied, and although I really love all the support you're giving me; if the story isn't good enough for you there's a whole world of fanfics to explore.

My writing may not be totally realistic, but in the end this _is_ fiction, and I think we all have the right to mess around with fiction as much as we like.

Anyhooo,

Thanks to **Yana5** for checking in after almost every chapter.

 **DetectiveOfTheOpera** your reviews make my day

And to all the other reviewers, you are awesome and I hope this story continues to entertain!

Cheerio!  
Sammy


	6. The Girls Make Up Their Minds

A new day dawned with Elizabeth waking much earlier than usual. She lay as still as possible, not wanting to disturb Jane who needed all the rest she could get after breaking down in Lizzy's arms once again before they went to bed the previous night.

Lizzy knew her sister was taking considerable strain and no amount of reassurance that her mother's illness was not her fault seemed to make any difference. As she replayed the events of the evening in her head, her thoughts turned once more to Mr Darcy. _Has it really only been two days since we met on Oakham Mount? How has everything changed so quickly? I hated the man, and now I have allowed him to court me! He was always so cold and aloof, and now he keeps as close to me as possible as often as he possibly can! He couldn't have developed such feelings for me in such a short time span, could he? Perhaps I should ask him this morning._

Finding no relief in her rambling thoughts, Elizabeth finally arose and quietly slipped into a very warm, very comfortable dress that didn't require assistance to put on. She pinned her hair up in a simple style and slipped out of her room.

After checking on her mother, who lay sleeping quite peacefully under thick blankets, she tiptoed downstairs and asked Cook if there was anything to eat. She broke her fast sitting before the kitchen fire and chattering away to the few servants who had already been awake for several hours. Elizabeth had known Cook since she was five years of age, and was universally loved by every servant at Longbourn for her friendly manner, and refusal to treat them as if they were below her.

Cook had always seemed to have the most unconventional advice, and the kindest smile, and many times when she was younger she would imagine Cook was her mother, and not the overly-excitable, unsteady woman who held the position in truth. Cook, whose real name was Mrs Dorothy Reed, was a short, stout lady of about fifty-five, with a cheerful face and a deep, soft voice. Her blue eyes always sparkled when she saw Lizzy sneak into the kitchen in search of something to eat, and although she never had children of her own she was thankful for Lizzy's presence and interest in her life.

After finishing her food and tea, Lizzy thanked Cook and slipped out of the door into the garden. It was not quite eight o'clock yet (it being rather closer to half-past seven), but she decided to use the time before Mr Darcy arrived to check on their total of two horses in the stables.

She rounded the side of the house, and you may imagine her surprise when she saw Mr Darcy standing awkwardly next to the gate leading to the front of the house.

"Good morning, Mr Darcy!" she said cheerily, as she walked up to him and gave a quick curtsey.

"Your punctuality is impressive," added she with a cheeky grin.

"Good morning, Mi- Elizabeth," he said while bowing - his delight at addressing her in such a way evident on his face, "I am afraid I could not sleep any longer this morning and so arrived at a most ungodly hour."

"There is no need to apologize, sir, as I could barely stay in bed myself this morning!" she replied.

Darcy smiled again, something he seemed to be doing more and more often in her presence, and showed off the two dimples Elizabeth was now quite well acquainted with. "Elizabeth, I realize that in my joy last night I never returned the favour to give you leave to use my Christian name."

"Well you did leave rather suddenly, did you not?" she teased.

"Nonetheless, I would be very happy if you called me Fitzwilliam as my family does," he said shyly.

Elizabeth wondered at the implication of her using a name reserved for family, but at last decided to worry about it at a later date and enjoy the morning in the way she intended; walking with Fitzwilliam. _Even thinking his name does horrible things to my composure,_ she mused.

"Very well, Fitzwilliam," she said with a smile as he tucked her hand around his arm and they set off following no direction in particular.

After several minutes of comfortable silence, Lizzy's curiosity could be suppressed no longer and she tentatively asked, "Fitzwilliam," again Mr Darcy smiled brilliantly and the dear lady felt quite giddy at the sight, "I spent most of our acquaintance believing you hated me. But after our talk on Oakham Mount it became evident you didn't at all. When did you change your mind?"

"Why, I never needed to!" exclaimed Darcy, "I never for a moment felt any hatred towards you. Quite the opposite actually. I realize now that my staring and prying questions may have been misconstrued but I assure you I only ever looked at you with admiration and intense intrigue." Here he covered her hand with his own and slowly continued, "I have always been made acutely aware of my social rank and after years in society I felt the need to suppress any thoughts of attachment to you, but as you can see my heart reasoned with, and prevailed over, my mind, and they could no longer be in disagreement as to your incredible beauty, and wonderfully unique mind. I believe I was in the middle of loving you before I even realized I had begun."

Elizabeth's conscience was pricked. She knew she didn't yet return Fitzwilliam's feelings equally and, after such an earnest declaration, felt guilty for her inability to express the same.

At voicing these thoughts Mr Darcy immediately came to a stop and took both her hands in his own. "Elizabeth, please do not pain yourself over this. I behaved horribly and gave you no reason to love me or even like me. I can be patient, I will be patient, because with even the slightest hope of you returning my love someday, my future already feels all the more promising."

Gratitude shone through her troubled expression, and Mr Darcy was content to once more place a kiss on her hand and, in a more daring move, on her wrist right above her short glove and directly on her pulse. The effect was immediate. She let out a gasp, coloured, and looked away shyly, completely unused to a man having this sort of effect on her.

After a minute or two they continued their walk, and spoke of a wide range of topics that eventually circled back once more to Pemberley and Georgiana. Elizabeth expressed her desire to meet Miss Darcy, after hearing all the difficulties she had been through, and Mr Darcy replied that he would see about her visiting for Christmas if she felt up to it. Miss Bingley and the Hursts would no doubt be back in London by then, and with his work with the steward not quite completed yet (indeed, it had been wrapped up more than a week ago), he would most probably remain until after the New Year.

This delighted Elizabeth as she could look forward to at least another month in his company, and would greatly enjoy becoming better acquainted with Miss Darcy during the time as well. She realized Mr Darcy would also meet her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner, and hoped their elegance and intelligence would help better his opinion of her family.

When it neared the time Elizabeth would be needed at home, the couple returned in good spirits and Mr Darcy, after declining an invitation to come in and have tea, took his leave, promising to join the family for dinner the next day hopefully with news of Georgiana's upcoming visit.

As he rode away, Darcy couldn't help but smile at his good fortune. Most women simpered and called Georgiana the 'dearest little girl' when he mentioned her, but Elizabeth had seemed truly excited to meet her. He hoped with every fibre of his being that they would get along, and perhaps even become friends. It would be a great relief if they did, as he had made up his mind that morning that if he could not marry Elizabeth he would prefer to remain a bachelor indefinitely, so great a hold she had upon his emotions and affections.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Longbourn, Mrs Bennet had at last awoken from her extended slumber and lay with her back against a mountain of pillows while letting out small moans at suspiciously regular intervals. Lydia and Kitty sat on the bed next to her chatting happily about their recently altered bonnets and how excited they were to perhaps go to town to meet the officers now that mama was out of danger. Both refrained from mentioning the governess after being strictly prohibited to do so by their father, on pain of staying at home for two weeks with nary a walk to Meryton or a visit to Maria Lucas.

At the second sigh of Lydia's followed by her saying how she wished to see "dear Denny and George" again, her mother spoke up loudly and quite angrily.

"Lydia, child, you will cease this incessant yapping about officers immediately!"

Lydia was stunned into silence, having never before been addressed in such a tone by her mother, nor ever having been rebuked for talking about the militia. Even Kitty stayed silent.

"What do you think an officer makes, child? At best about five hundred pounds a year! Not enough to have a home, and definitely not enough to maintain your current standard of living! I refuse to let you mention anything about those simpletons again. Their regimentals may be handsome, but their prospects are not." Mrs Bennet paused to catch her breath and saw with satisfaction that both Kitty and Lydia sat gaping at her with wide eyes. "Lydia, you are my only hope! Elizabeth and Jane are insufferably stubborn and selfish and I refuse to speak to them until they apologize for their ungrateful behaviour, so you are the only one I can rely on. You _must_ find a rich husband, for else we will all be thrown into the hedgerows! Oh if only Mr Collins had compromised that headstrong Lizzy we would not be in such a predicament! I can't stand it!" at this she turned to face Lydia who looked both shocked and scared at her mother's outburst. "Lydia, dear, you are the only pretty one left," at this Kitty's eyes filled with tears and she fled the room, "promise me you will find a rich man to marry so your mama does not have to worry any longer. Promise me child!"

Lydia promised as quickly as she could, still very uncomfortable with being rebuked and complimented in the same conversation. Her ego had now been fed quite well. **She** would be the one to save her family. Not Jane, not Lizzy. Oh no, Lydia Bennet would do what her sisters could not, and save the Bennet family from ruin and the hedgerows. They would all have to be grateful to her.

Her revelry was interrupted by Mr Ferrars' arrival just as Lizzy poured a hot cup of tea to warm her after the cold air she was exposed to outside.

He found Mrs Bennet resting quietly, with no evidence of her previous agitation, and was pleased to announce to the family that her health would soon return in full. Once more he spoke to Mary about the environment her mother should be kept in – one free of anxiety and unnecessary excitement – and then made his way back to his horse with Mary's unusually cheerful company. It was later that day that Lizzy saw Mary sitting in a corner of the parlour deeply engrossed in what seemed to be a book on medical science. Lizzy knew there was no such book stocked at Longbourn and could only smile at the thought of where it had come from. She was glad to see Mary stepping out of her shell, even though it was only slightly noticeable, and made a mental note to talk to her about it later.

* * *

Mr Collins, it seemed, had left to Lucas Lodge while Lizzy had been outdoors and she was secretly relieved at not having to face him again that morning.

As the sisters sat peacefully occupying themselves in the warm drawing room as a sudden thunderstorm brought icy rain down upon the fields, each reflected on the past two days' occurrences. So much had changed and everything felt rather foreign to them as they repeated tasks they had done hundreds of times before.

Jane thought of Mr Bingley and how she hoped he would find happiness. She also thought of her dear papa who had called her into his library that morning and given her a tight hug, reassuring her that she was not to blame for her mother's reactions. A weight had been lifted then, and she no longer constantly felt the urge to cry. She had discovered she had the strength within her to pursue her happiness and had decided to forget any idea she previously held as to what sort of man she would marry.

Lizzy's thoughts were once more on Mr Darcy. He seemed to be the only thing she could think about lately, and she looked forward to seeing him the next day. Remembering the feeling of his lips on the skin between her glove and sleeve made her breath hitch and she looked around embarrassedly to see if anyone had noticed.

Mary was utterly absorbed in the book Mr Ferrars had so kindly lent her. She had never realized how incredibly interesting the science behind a doctor's work was and reveled in the fact that she could learn more of it now. Mr Ferrars' smile as he had handed it to her made her insides feel warm and she made sure to hide her rosy cheeks behind the rather large book's covers.

Kitty felt rather sorry for herself. She was tired. Tired of everyone getting the attention but herself. She was never pretty enough, or smart enough, or witty enough to grab anyone's attention. Even Mary's constant reading had gotten her somewhere. She was tired of standing in Lydia's shadow. Right then and there she made up her mind to no longer be angry at papa for getting them a governess. She would devote herself to becoming better at everything Lydia was good at, and more. Perhaps then people would finally take notice of her. And all that lace and ribbons? She would rip them off her dresses if she had to. Lizzy and Jane wore very little of it and were deemed the most beautiful of the Bennets. Surely their example would not be a bad one to follow. She was tired of being overlooked, tired of being 'Kitty'. She would strive to be Catherine Bennet and behave in such a way that Kitty would be forever forgotten.

Lydia sat happily making a mental list of every rich single gentleman she knew. Anyone with more than a thousand pounds a year at least. So far she had listed Mr Morrison who had visited Meryton for a week when she was about fourteen, he had wanted to buy Netherfield but something had changed his mind. _He is too old to consider though!_ she mused. Next there was Mr John Lewis, he had been terribly handsome and utterly enamoured with Jane. He too left suddenly and without explanation. _Didn't mama mention he got married to a lady of the ton some time ago? I'll have to find out._ There _was_ Mr Darcy, but the thought of him made her shudder. _I would have put up with his dull manner if he was worth anything more than ten thousand pounds, but not even that amount of money is worth it!_

Who else was there? She racked her brain. _Mr Hewitt had a measly 800 a year, and that other fellow, what was his name? Frederick I think. He had about 750. These cannot be the only men of substance I know._

As suddenly as her foot was stomped in frustration, the revelation came.

 _How could I not have thought of him earlier?_

 _Won't it be perfect to succeed where others fail?_

 _Why he's perfect!_

 _MR CHARLES BINGLEY!_

 **A/N:**

So there you have it!

2 chapters in one day, I think I deserve a reward. Honestly I was just so excited I couldn't help but spew another one of these babies out ASAP. Plus it's been raining like mad here so I had nothing else to do!

I'm dying to hear your reviews on this chapter, it was really just such a delight to write!

What do you think of Lydia's change of mind?

How do you like Kitty and Lydia's alterations? They can't go from silly to saintly in a day, and what better reason to start their improvement than selfishness and a little vanity? Of course those two can never be saints, or they just won't be Lyds and Kitty anymore, will they? Trouble is brewing though.

At least Collins is busy recommending himself to an entirely different family and we can happily ignore him for a while. But don't fear, he will be back in all his slimy glory.

Also, how are you liking the progression of intimacy between Lizzy and Darcy? Too fast? Too slow?

And then finally we have dear Mary starting to see the world as a place to be explored, not constantly censured and reproached. Mr Ferrars is to thank for that and I'm sure we'll see her developing into a wonderful woman while maintaining her strong principles and colourful personality.

Also, THANK YOU **DetectiveOfTheOpera** for noticing my mistake! I fixed it. :D

Next chapter will hopefully be up tomorrow!

To all the reviewers, you are the Lady Catherine to my Mr Collins, aka, my reason for living.

Cheerio

Sammy


	7. Revelations Aplenty

Mr Collins returned in time for dinner and seemed to be in a jovial mood for much of the evening, though he rushed off as soon as was proper to write a letter of 'great importance' to the housekeeper at Hunsford.

Slowly all Longbourn's inhabitants made their way to their rooms until only Lizzy and Mary remained, both still absorbed in their respective reading material – Lizzy reaching the last section of ' _Evelina_ ' and greatly looking forward to knowing how it ends. Upon realizing she finally had some time to talk to her sister, however, she was spurred to put away her book and join Mary on the sofa near the fireplace.

"It feels as if I've seen nothing of you at all today!" Lizzy said innocently, trying to begin a conversation about Mr Ferrars as subtly as she possibly could.

Quite surprised at Lizzy's sudden interest in her activities, Mary stuttered an 'uh' before settling on nodding and quietly agreeing with her sister's statement.

Mary was definitely not used to being given attention. She was rarely addressed directly, and never just to find out how her day was, which was what Lizzy had proceeded to inquire. Once again Elizabeth was reminded of her neglect towards her younger sisters and felt a pang of guilt for her actions, or rather lack thereof.

"I see you are reading a new book!" Lizzy tried again.

This seemed to spark Mary's enthusiasm and she eagerly described all the incredibly interesting information she had found in the _'Treatise in the Prevention & Cure of Diseases'._

"It's utterly surprising how the smallest of actions can lead to disease, Lizzy, and the author sets it out so logically I cannot but be intrigued at the intricacy of the human body!" she added with more excitement than Lizzy had seen her show in, well, all the time she'd known her, which was saying something because that had been since birth.

"Am I right to assume it was a gift from Mr Ferrars?" she inquired slyly.

The tips of Mary's ears grew bright red and she nodded quickly.

"He says my enthusiasm towards science is impressive, and he would enjoy discussing the book with me in future," she stated, trying to sound as non-committed as she could manage. In truth, Mary was ecstatic to have someone who liked discussing books on science, religion, and philosophy take interest in her, but she imagined her sister would think her silly for making so much of as innocuous an action as borrowing a book and tried to act as if it was of no real consequence.

"He must like you very much." Lizzy said with a smile.

"Oh do you think so?" Mary exclaimed, and then realizing she had said that aloud she fell instantly silent and hid her face behind her hands.

"Of course I do, Mary!" Lizzy exclaimed, "You are an intelligent, talented, beautiful girl, and anyone who says otherwise is blind." She took Mary's hand and looked directly into her eyes, "I know people seem to look past you, dearest, but the world rarely recognizes greatness unless it is thrust upon them as though they are blind. You are an incredible individual with more talents than I could ever possess, and I know Mr Ferrars sees it. Believe me, Mary; the world will see it too."

Both sisters had tears in their eyes by the end of their conversation and it was with more affection than ever before that Lizzy bid her sister goodnight and left the room.

Mary remained with her book late into the night, reading very little, but quietly pondering on her sister's words. Words she had waited to hear for so long. Words she had almost given up on.

As midnight approached she finally stood, picked up the book and a candle, and made her way to bed.

She fell asleep with a hint of a smile on her face, and a prayer of thanks for finally being noticed.

* * *

Morning came and with it Mrs Bennet's near-full recovery. The house seemed to tremble at its very foundations every time Fanny Bennet required assistance with even the simplest of tasks.

" **LYDIA!"** the voice boomed, and Kitty giggled she was sure Hertfordshire was experiencing its first earthquake.

"Yes, mama?" Lydia sighed with exasperation as she walked up the stairs and into her mother's chamber for what felt like the hundredth time that morning.

"One of my blankets fell off the bed. Be a dear and pick it up for me."

 _You could very well have called Beth, you know,_ Lydia thought angrily. _How do you expect me to find a rich husband when I have to work like a servant girl?!_

Lydia only smiled though and threw the blanket lightly over her mother's body. Her air of sweetness didn't last, however, and she pulled the ugliest face she could manage on her way back down to the drawing room. Today she would practice her embroidery. Mr Bingley always seemed to admire Jane's work, and so she would have to be better.

Not a quarter of an hour later, Mrs Bennet's voice rumbled through the house once more; "LYDIA! LYDIA! Come here this instant, it is an EMERGENCY!" The girl in question was now extremely sorrowful that her mother refused to speak to her elder sisters.

"I am COMING!" she yelled back in a tone to match her mother's.

This time the curtains were opened too much.

Ten minutes later Mrs Bennet's pillows were positioned uncomfortably.

The next the room was stifling and a window needed to be opened.

The reason for the cry after that was to put a chair in front of the open door; it's squeaking was interrupting her sleep.

 _I shall rip my hair from my scalp if she calls me even once more. I don't care if she has fallen down the stairs, I am not leaving the drawing room again,_ Lydia decided angrily.

Thankfully the not-so-very-ill-anymore lady had fallen asleep, her screaming having tired her out considerably.

* * *

After luncheon, all five girls decided to make good their escape from the house and pay a visit to their Aunt and Uncle Phillips. Lydia and Kitty were in desperate need of some gossip, and Lizzy and Jane would be happy for any excuse to get away from Longbourn for a few hours. Mary joined them with the secret hope of running into Mr Ferrars.

After a brisk walk, in which the cool air and blinding sun were appreciated by all, the group arrived at their aunt's home. Tea was poured, gossip shared and while Lydia admired some new lace her aunt had acquired and Kitty refused to join her, rather turning to Mary and Jane for conversation, Lizzy recounted as much of Mr Wickham's deceit to her aunt as she deemed appropriate. She had used the most scandalized tone possible, paused several times for dramatic effect, and by the end of it felt sure she would not feel out of place in a Shakespeare play. Her aunt had taken the bait - hook, line, and sinker.

So effective was the execution of her gossip that it was not yet two hours after their return home that Beth, while styling Lizzy's hair for dinner, related to her some shocking news about none other but Mr Wickham himself. She had heard it from a shopkeeper in town, who had heard it from the blacksmith's wife, who obtained her intelligence from, "you won't believe, Mrs Phillips' dear friend Mrs Jones, the bookshop owner's widowed cousin."

 _Success!_ Lizzy thought with a grin.

Her toilette completed, she stood to observe her appearance in the mirror. She couldn't help but smile at Beth's handiwork. Even though she was most certainly not trained in the latest fashions from Paris her simple, tasteful arrangement of Lizzy's hair made her feel beautiful. She was wearing a dark blue dress with only the slightest trimmings of brilliant white lace along the sleeves which ended just above her elbow. It was one of her favourite dresses, if not her best.

* * *

Mr Darcy arrived promptly for dinner and was shown to the drawing room by Jane who was acting as hostess in her mother's stead. Lizzy entered barely a minute later followed by her father and sisters, and Mr Darcy had to remind himself he was in company and couldn't pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless then and there. He was quite certain she was glowing from head to toe. The torture he endured that evening, being so close to Elizabeth but not being allowed any greater intimacy than to kiss her hand and smile at her, was acute. For the first time in his life, Fitzwilliam Darcy was growing impatient. He had only yet spent three days truly getting to know Elizabeth but already he found it impossible to imagine a future without her by his side, in his arms, in his be- he stopped himself there, afraid that his thoughts may lead to a complete breach of propriety. Instead, he was forced to spend the rest of the evening silently convincing himself that proposing as soon as dinner ended would be the wrong thing to do. Elizabeth had told him she would only marry for love, and he could not dare ask her unless he was sure of her answer. He couldn't risk losing her.

At last, the dinner had ended and the entire company, deciding to forgo the separation of the sexes, moved to the drawing room.

Lydia inquired innocently to Mr Bingley's –and his sister's, she added hurriedly – whereabouts and well-being. After the room was informed that Miss Bingley was still at Netherfield, and that Mr Bingley seemed to be well and remained in London, everyone became embarrassingly quiet.

It was at this "most opportune moment" that Mr Collins cleared his throat, and said, with what he intended to look like pure happiness, "Mr Bennet, Mr Darcy, my dear cousins; it is my great pleasure to announce that I have this day requested the hand of the sweet Charlotte Lucas in marriage, and she has done me the great honour of accepting!" his triumphant glare at Lizzy did not go unnoticed by either its recipient or Mr Darcy.

Lizzy almost spat her tea across the room.

"Are you sure it was Charlotte you were addressing, sir?" Lizzy asked in utter disbelief.

"I assure you, cousin, there is only one Charlotte Lucas in Hertfordshire." Mr Collins stated with satisfaction. Obviously, he had obtained the reaction he had hoped for.

As the rest of her family congratulated the man Lizzy couldn't help but whisper to Mr Darcy, "I cannot believe Charlotte would do such a thing!"

Mr Darcy's reply was not what she was expecting; "You must not judge your friend too harshly, Elizabeth. Most marriages are not based on love, but rather mutual respect and the desire for stability and an heir. I know you despise Mr Collins, and so do I, but keep this in mind when you speak to Miss Lucas. No doubt she is not ecstatic at the match either but sees it as a way to stop burdening her parents, and perhaps finally have a life of her own."

His words deeply impressed Lizzy and she told him as much while promising not to make Charlotte feel even worse because of her decision.

After a generous amount of time had been spent on discussing the wedding, and how to break the news to Mrs Bennet, Darcy stood, congratulated the parson once more, and asked Elizabeth to see him out. Mr Bennet, Jane, and Mary shared a knowing look, having been the only ones Lizzy had informed of the courtship.

As they left the drawing-room Mr Darcy turned to Elizabeth and asked, "I know that you will **have** to tell your mother of our courtship at some point but I was hoping we could perhaps spend just a few more days enjoying her ignorance."

Lizzy knew that once her mother was aware of the growing attachment between herself and Fitzwilliam, they would have no peace, and so she readily agreed.

"I have not informed the Hursts or Miss Bingley either as I'm quite sure the latter will refuse to leave once she hears the news." at this Lizzy could not hold back a chuckle.

"I couldn't agree more!" she smiled.

"Also, I received an express from Georgiana this morning. I hope you don't mind that I have informed _her_ of our courtship, and she is so utterly excited to visit that I had some trouble convincing her to wait until the twentieth of next month. Her lessons are not yet completed and I will have to arrange for her cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam to accompany her."

Elizabeth was exceedingly happy that Darcy had told his sister of her. It relieved her that he didn't feel ashamed of his connection to her. She expressed her eagerness to meet Miss Darcy, and shared with Fitzwilliam her hopes that, in the presence of five very lively girls, Georgiana may open up a little more. Lydia would just have to be watched carefully, she added.

Once again Darcy marveled at his luck. He had been deeply concerned because of Georgiana's increasing reticence and he had hoped spending time with Elizabeth would help her.

At last the couple said their goodbyes, and with a sly whisper of "You took my breath away tonight, Elizabeth." which gave her goosebumps and made her ear tingle where his lips had brushed against her skin, he set off once more on the road to Netherfield.

The grin on Elizabeth's face didn't leave until well after she fell asleep, having spent the remainder of the evening contemplating how well Mr Darcy's personality complemented her own. They seemed capable of bringing out the best and the worst in each other, and she was incredibly thankful that lately it was the former, most of the time.

 **A/N:**

Well, well, well. Things are heating up. How long do you think Darcy will be able to hold out on proposing? I have the entire scene already written in my head, so do please hazard a guess!

I'm loving Mary's development and I'm thinking of writing separate stories focusing on each of the other 4 sisters in greater depth at some point.

Also, this is bound to be quite a loooooong story and I'm torn between writing it all under "Impatience is a Virtue" or splitting it up into separate stories. What do you think?

For those despairing about Charlotte, don't waste too many tears. I have big plans for her as well.

 **Ms Pimprenelle –** I love Lydia's deviousness too! She is her mother's child after all, and if Mrs B can scheme Jane into spending ages at Netherfield, why can't Lydia channel her inner schemer too?

 **DetectiveOfTheOpera** – As usual your review makes me super happy, and I think I quite like a little brash, protective Darcy, so we may see him behaving quite scandalously at some point. However he IS a gentleman and we'll have to respect that too.

 **Imbravo –** Lydia will soon hatch a plan, although whether or not it involves compromise I can't say ;)

 **The Guest with the super long review praising D/E and Mary/Ferrars –** I am LOVING your ideas and commentary and I agree wholeheartedly that Charles needs someone with a bit of a backbone! Thank you for being awesome and reading my story!

 **Lynned13 –** Your prediction that Lydia is going to eat him alive has given me SO. MANY. IDEAS!

 **MaskedAtMidnight –** Welcome to the party! I always hated that Jane seemed to do whatever she was told, and to me she seemed like she never really had a mind of her own. I'm hoping to fix that a little!

To everyone else, thanks again, you are all super encouraging and I love reading what you have to say!


	8. Wedded Something, if Not Bliss

For a while things ran smoothly in Hertfordshire.

Miss Bingley and the Hursts left Netherfield on Saturday the 30th November, but not without Caroline sending a farewell note to Jane which did little more than convey her heartfelt pleasure at leaving the savage countryside, never to return again. Needless to say it had upset Jane, especially since Mrs Bennet still refused to speak to her. All Jane's inward censure, however, did nothing to stop Lizzy from snatching the note out of her hand and throwing it into the fire with a snort of disgust.

The only happiness experienced that day was when Mr Collins left for Hunsford. He had arranged with the town clergyman to begin the reading of the banns the next day and expected to be married before Christmas time as "Hunsford would need its shepherd" and Mr Collins, no doubt, would need his wife. He planned to return within a fortnight.

Mr Darcy's visits to Longbourn soon became a daily ritual, and he would return to join the family for dinner as often as an invitation was extended. It was only Mrs Bennet's consistent refusal to take notice of either Lizzy or Jane that kept her oblivious of Mr Darcy's marked attention towards her daughter. As such, she spent several hours daily lamenting her predicament and resigning herself to the hedgerows.

Mr Ferrars visited Longbourn often, and no one had any reason for suspicion but Lizzy. After watching her sister talk animatedly with him for the third time that week Lizzy decided to take action.

"Why Mr Ferrars, you have been so diligent in the care of our mother you _must_ join us for dinner tomorrow. I absolutely insist!" This was said with a cheerful smile and a quick wink in Mary's direction.

"Lizzy!" Mary squeaked.

"Thank you kindly, Miss Elizabeth. I would be delighted to spend time in the company of your family," he replied, looking directly at Mary who sat on a chair a respectful distance from the couch he occupied.

Lizzy wasn't quite done yet. Through some tactful prying and seemingly innocent questions, she learned Mr Simon Ferrars, of (she guessed) thirty-four years, was the second son of a gentleman of modest means. His elder brother had inherited his late father's small estate and so he had pursued the study of medicine as a way to support himself. He had a younger sister who was married to a shop owner in London, and he himself was in possession of a happy little home in Meryton. Lizzy was pleased to discover he had an intense love for science and philosophy and, although he was not well-to-do he had a small library to which he added books as frequently as possible. '

Her investigation completed, she summed him up as a cheerful yet studious man with a kind heart.

 _Perfect for Mary. Now all I have to do is get them to spend more time together, which shouldn't be all that difficult._ Lizzy realized she was sounding suspiciously like her mother and shook her head with a chuckle. She hadn't taken Mrs Bennet's anger as badly as Jane, rather finding it amusingly ironic that it was only her mother's determination to ignore them both which prevented her from being told about Mr Darcy and his "ten thousand pounds and grand estate" taking an interest in Lizzy.

The next day Mr Bennet gathered the family to inform them of Mrs Edith Langdon of Shrewsbury's imminent arrival. At this Kitty couldn't help but inquire innocently whether the lady at all resembled a shrew in "either character or appearance" which made it Lydia's turn to lapse into a coughing fit to suppress her laughter. Even Elizabeth had to smile, while Jane looked on in horror, and Mary reminded Kitty she should have respect for her elders. Mrs Bennet, too, had been informed of this adjustment to Lydia and Kitty's education that evening and had only refrained from having a full-blown course of palpitations as Mr Ferrars had arrived for dinner and popped in to check on his patient.

Dinner was a lively affair, with Mr Darcy joining the group and Mr Bennet, at last, having some sensible conversation. After the meal, Mary was encouraged to play on the pianoforte, and Lizzy slipped a sheet of music with a jolly tune towards her before she could turn to the morose pieces she had always practiced in the past. Her playing was greatly admired by Mr Ferrars, and while seeing him out Mary was gifted with yet another book, this time an in-depth analysis of philosophy. Mary beamed.

* * *

At long last, on the 6th day of December Mrs Langdon, a tall lady of about forty years, who unfortunately did rather resemble a shrew in appearance as Kitty later whispered, walked determinedly through Longbourn's gate at precisely eleven o'clock. She meant business, and by the same hour the next day both Lydia and Kitty were hard at work. Though she was incredibly disciplined, and not very pretty, Mrs Langdon was effective. She had administered a test of sorts to assess each girl's ability, and soon had Kitty seated by the window with some drawing paper and pencils, and Lydia unhappily positioned at the table surrounded by "such dull and droning" books on decorum, and arithmetic of all things, that it was not uncommon to find her fast asleep at the table with her head gently pillowed by her arms.

Thus their mornings were occupied, with Kitty learning a rotation of subjects from drawing, etiquette, painting (which she seemed to enjoy greatly), and basic mathematics and science. It was true that science was not a conventional subject for a governess to teach, but Mrs Langdon was in no way conventional and by the end of a week under her tutelage Kitty had to admit she rather liked the stern lady. Lydia, having adamantly refused to read another book containing "more numbers than words" was allowed to read Shakespeare on the condition that she write an essay discussing its symbolism and literary profile for each piece she completed. She also spent time singing while Mary played and, as Lizzy had suspected, her voice was pleasant and became quite sweet and melodious after dedicated instruction.

Both girls were also taught French, which would have been torture if Mrs Langdon, smart woman that she was, didn't use the latest French novels and fashion journals as material for their study. Her students were delighted to be able to show off their language skills to the other girls in Meryton and Lydia found it delightful that she could finally do something Maria Lucas couldn't. Kitty, who had been friends with the girl for as long as she could remember, and having a far kinder disposition despite her jokes and jests, spent time trying to teach Maria what she had learned each week and in doing so improved her own skills simultaneously.

* * *

So the days passed peacefully even though Mrs Bennet was up and about once more by the twelfth day of December. Not being able to berate Lizzy or fawn over Jane, and with Lydia and Kitty almost constantly occupied, she turned her attention on Mary much to the girl's dismay. At least, with only one daughter to pay attention to, her opportunities to yell and cry were greatly diminished. This pleased everyone but Mrs Bennet herself.

Jane had decided she would attempt to be more decisive, and practiced by taking over some of her mother's work as mistress of Longbourn. It was agreed that Mrs Bennet should not overexert herself, and so Jane took responsibility for the menus and seeing to household affairs. Exercising decisive power did wonders, and by the end of the month, she felt quite at ease making her opinions known, and saying "no" when the situation called for it.

Darcy and Elizabeth ventured out to walk almost daily, being accompanied by either Jane or Mary who took their roles as chaperones with varying senses of responsibility. Sometimes Lizzy would leave Longbourn quite early and _quite coincidentally_ so would Mr Darcy. These walks were the most difficult for the man as he constantly felt the urge to fall on his knees and ask for her hand in marriage. Elizabeth was starting to feel more and more disconcerted in his presence even though it wasn't a feeling to which she objected, and her emotions at times were so strong that they overwhelmed her. She knew she was strongly attracted to the man, their small touches and smiles having told her as much, but the rest of her thoughts were all a jumble. She couldn't make out heads or tails and it worried her.

* * *

On Friday, December 14th, Mr Collins once more graced Longbourn with his presence. His and Charlotte's wedding would be that Wednesday and, if not ecstatic for her friend, Lizzy had decided to be content. She had often spoken of Charlotte's decision with Mr Darcy, as well as the lady in question, and although she could never imagine settling for a relationship like theirs she was determined not to judge her friend but rather offer her support as well as she could manage.

So it was that on the eighteenth day of December, Miss Charlotte Lucas became Mrs William Collins and, with many tears and smiles bid her family and friends farewell after extending an invitation to her father, Maria, and Elizabeth to visit early that February. Lizzy would never refuse her friend and so her visit was settled.

* * *

The 20th brought Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam's arrival from London. Elizabeth would not have the chance to see Darcy that day as he was to spend most of it with his sister, but they were invited to Longbourn for tea and dinner the next day and she greatly looked forward to meeting the girl.

Unbeknownst to shy, gentle Georgiana, somewhere in Longbourn, Lydia was scheming. Miss Darcy's arrival had opened to her a world of opportunities, and she was determined to make the most of the girl's visit. Apparently, Miss Darcy was about her age and had no sisters. She also spent most of her time in London, _and is that not THE place to be to catch the eye of Mr Bingley?_

She suspected Lizzy would shield the girl from her, considering the long talk Lizzy had had with her the day before and she would have to to be on her best behaviour that evening if she wished to begin a friendship with this Georgiana girl. A friendship which would end in an invitation to London, of course.

* * *

Unfotunately for Lizzy, as days are wont to do, this one had started filled with hope and excitement for the events of the festive season, but would end on a very dismal note.

Mrs Bennet, it seemed, had finally noticed Mr Darcy's regular visits to Longbourn. Obviously, he was coming to see Jane who accompanied him on his walks quite often and it sparked Mrs Bennet's anger that Lizzy seemed to be taking up so much of his time. Her illness had done nothing to subdue her ill judgment, and apparently only made it more difficult to discern where Mr Darcy's affections lay. Mary had also spent much of the day talking about medicine, and science, with the occasional sprinkling of Fordyce and this, accompanied by the headache Mrs Bennet had since the previous morning, made her want to scream. Able to bear the tension no longer, her indefinite silence finally ended, and Lizzy was made to bear the full force of her mother's bitterness and spite.

Mrs Bennet had been seated near the fire, taking a rest for the afternoon, when Lizzy quietly stood to pour herself and her mother some tea. The seething whisper seemed to come from nowhere.

"Elizabeth Bennet, you are by far the most selfish, conceited, and spiteful girl I have ever laid eyes on. First you convince Jane to refuse Mr Bingley, then you turn down that little twat Collins so I have to bear the Lucases' ill-begotten pride and then, while Mr Darcy tries to call on Jane, you insist and taking all his attention." here she began to pant, obviously taking strain.

"Please, mama, calm yourself!" Elizabeth cried in a strangled voice, trying desperately to snap her mother out of her fury.

"Don't you DARE tell me to calm down when you are the one who has ruined this family with your stubbornness. Oh how I wish you had rather never been born! Your only delight is in vexing your poor mother, and I can stand it! You are an ungrateful little wretch!" the woman cried, heaving with emotion.

Elizabeth could bear it no more, she ran from the house in anger.

 _Damn it all to hell!_ she thought bitterly.

And so she ran. She ran until her anger had turned to weariness. She ran until her tears felt frozen onto her skin. She ran until she collided hard with a strange object as she rounded a rather large tree trunk. She ran smack-dab into Mr Darcy.

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth, what's wrong? What happened?" he cried out in alarm.

His dear Elizabeth was pale and had obviously left home in a hurry. Her tear stained cheeks did nothing to reassure him and he held her gently by her shoulders as he whispered quietly that she, that everything, would be alright.

She threw herself into his arms.

As suddenly as she had done so, Mr Darcy pulled her closer to himself and pulled his coat around them both. _Damn propriety,_ he thought.

"You are safe, Elizabeth, you are safe." he whispered in her ear. There they stood for the better part of fifteen minutes, his hands rubbing circles along her back, her face buried in the clean linen of his shirt.

When her sobbing at last subsided she recounted her mother's words as tears flowed down her cheeks unchecked. She was tired of acting as though her mother's disdain had no effect on her and so she told Fitzwilliam everything. How her mother had refused to talk to her, and how years of being told she wasn't pretty enough, or charming enough, had finally seemed to catch up with her that day.

Fitzwilliam's anger was so great that he struggled not to curse the woman who had so hurt his dearest, most beloved Elizabeth aloud. All he could manage to do was tighten his arms around her even more and reassure her of his feelings.

"I do not deserve you, Fitzwilliam." her whisper came at last.

Shocked and pained at the insecure version of the woman he loved now standing before him he uttered with the utmost conviction, "Elizabeth, I will not have you say such a thing ever again. You are the strongest, most deserving woman I have ever met, and I will have to spend the entirety of my life working to be worthy of _you._ "

The meaning of his words seemed to have been lost on her as she turned her face into his chest once more and began to cry again.

There Elizabeth and Darcy spent the majority of the afternoon, the former clutching onto the latter with all her might as he whispered comforting words to her that seemed to echo in the stillness of the woods they were in. When tea time came he refused to let her return home but rather escorted her to Netherfield where the afternoon spent in the company of Georgiana Darcy, and Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, did much to improve her mood.

Darcy decided it was time he inform Mrs Bennet of his regard for Elizabeth and make clear his intentions. He would not accept any such behaviour towards the woman he planned to marry, and he would make sure she never had to cry because of her mother's actions again.

So it was, with a sense of determination, that Mr Darcy escorted Elizabeth back to Longbourn in his sister's company.

* * *

 **A/N:**

So there we have it folks! I bet you guys though he was going to propose to her, and trust me I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tempted to have him do it, but I didn't think it would be right considering her state of mind.

Also, according to the 'law' of, well, Regency England, Lizzy had now been completely compromised. Imagine those rules still applied today! I don't know whether to be happy or sad they weren't discovered and forced to marry, We all know neither would have objected anyway. Ah well!

So I started adding dates here and there, mostly because I have a tendency to jump from summer to winter in a single day and that wouldn't make even the slightest sense now would it?

Lizzy has to go home and face her mother eventually but thankfully the Gardiners arrive in just a few days and they'll hopefully be a big help! Yay!

Things really are heating up now but we won't resolve all Darcy and Lizzy's problems for at least another 2-3 chapters. Probably 4. Lizzy still has her confused feelings to figure out. Obviously her heart already knows all the answers, but her head is being rather reluctant to commit. Ah well.

Also, how'd you like Mrs Langdon. I can just picture her, all tall and shrewy, but still sort of likable. NOT MARY POPPINS OKAY?

Any thoughts on our dear Simon Ferrars? Do you think he suits Mary?

How about Lydia's plans for Miss Darcy?

Oh and of course there's our incredibly charming Colonel who has arrived as well. I wonder where that may lead…

 **Deanna27** – I am LOVING your insight to the story! I'm so happy you're enjoying it, and I'm also super excited that you are all realizing the direction I want to take Lydia in. I mean, she is incredibly manipulative, very pretty, and now she's getting an education too, so who knows where she may end up!?

 **Doris212 –** Thank you for your lovely review! I'm ecstatic that you like the story so much!

 **The Guest who called Mary and Kitty boring –** I agree that they are blank slates in a way, but I also think lots of people can relate to them, being overshadowed by the achievements of their sisters, and all that. Not all of us are super witty, always kind, or constantly up to mischief. I like to think they had potential that Austen just didn't have the time to explore. Maybe she left their characters up to her readers to analyse and judge?

 **ChrisM0519 –** I agree Mr Collins can go 'insert Regency expletive here' himself. Also, Lydia and Charles would make a VERY peculiar couple, but there are similarities in their personalities. Both like fun and assemblies and being social, both are also rather silly and seem to be underestimated (at least that's what I think). Now the question is, is Charles our dear, scheming Lyds' end game, or is he but the means to an end?

 **DetectiveOfTheOpera –** is it bad if I say I also teared up a but when I thought of that line. It just seems like Mary is the female, more studious version of Mr Darcy, and who better to see them both for who they really are than our dear Lizzy?

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who continues to read this story, and to the reviewers – you are the feathers to my Caroline, aka, all that matter ;D

Have a lovely day, and if I can't update over the coming weekend, please excuse me as I'm currently living my own version of Longbourn for Christmas!

Cheerio, and Happy Holidays!

 **ADDITIONAL NOTE -** For those of you who read this chapter within 3 hours of its publication, I made some adjustments to dialogue and flow, which don't change the story that much, just makes it make more sense.

Also, before everyone freaks out about Mrs B, remember she had a HEART ATTACK, and in those days, without all the medicines and tests, the symptoms weren't as easily managed. I can imagine how bad headaches, and just generally not feeling well, accompanied by her sensitivity to all things marriage, and the quite obvious role Lizzy played in making Jane realize she didn't love Mr Bingley could very well spur her to say what she did. She's not a major monster, perhaps mean and insensitive, but I think she's just an overbearing MOMster.

And also, if you doubt that Lizzy would cry, I beg to differ. She had been through supporting Jane, refusing Collins, having her mother become ill because of something she did, had to support her family, AND then had to deal with her confusing feelings for Darcy. I feel like even for our strong, independent heroine, her mother's outburst was the straw that broke the camel's back.

so anyway. there you have it.


	9. New Additions and Impressions

It was with no small sense of trepidation that Elizabeth walked through the doors of Longbourn just as her father was to go out in search of her, aided by a few servants.

"Elizabeth, where have you been!?" he exclaimed.

Before Lizzy could even begin to explain, Mr Darcy cut in, "Mr Bennet, I think it is best we start this conversation in the presence of your wife as well." said he, remaining impressively calm as he heard Elizabeth's sigh. She had tried convincing him she would be perfectly capable of dealing with her mother herself but after her earlier tears and despondency, he would have none of it.

So, while Georgiana sat quietly with Mary after a hasty introduction, Mr Bennet could do naught but call Mrs Bennet to the library where Darcy now sat directly next to Elizabeth. As the woman walked through the door, Darcy instinctively leaned protectively forward in his seat, as though he hoped to physically shield Lizzy from any further outbursts.

"Why, Mr Darcy!" Mrs Bennet cooed with sickening enthusiasm, "I was _just_ telling dear Jane how wonderfully kind you have been to visit us almost every day these past weeks!"

 _She hasn't even_ _ **spoken**_ _to Jane in ages, but of course, a little deceit never hurt, did it mama?_ Lizzy mused angrily.

"Mrs Bennet, there is certainly no need for pleasantries." the man replied, barely maintaining his sense of calm. If his conscience had allowed it he would have given in to his anger and made all his innermost thoughts known to this woman, curses and all, but he would not do that to Elizabeth. He would not distress her any more than was absolutely necessary.

Not giving Mrs Bennet a chance to misconstrue his words he continued, "I have long held Miss Elizabeth in very high regard, and it was I who stepped in when her cousin Mr Collins made his overly ambitious proposal," at this he clenched his teeth. "I understand from what Miss Elizabeth has told me that you suspected I had some interest in your other daughter," here he purposely left out Jane's name so as to reduce her embarrassment as much as possible. Mrs Bennet looked utterly confused.

"I wish to make something very clear," Darcy continued as he glanced at Mr Bennet, "I am interested in **Elizabeth** , I admire **her,** I respect **her,** and I plan to do everything in my power to one day earn **her** hand in marriage." With every word, Mr Darcy became more passionate, and Mrs Bennet grew paler.

 _Oh, how wrong I have been!_ she cried out in her thoughts, _Lizzy must forgive me or we may all be forgotten when she becomes the mistress of so grand an estate as Pemberley! Oh think of all the balls for Lydia and Kitty! I cannot let them be excluded because of Lizzy's stubbornness. She will just_ _ **have**_ _to forgive me!_

Mrs Bennet's love for Lizzy, it seemed, was as fickle as her well-being.

"Furthermore," the tall, imposing man's deep voice snapped her out of her spiral, "as an unbelievably beautiful, kind, intelligent, and charming woman, I believe she deserves respect from her family," here Darcy's eyes bored into those of Mrs Bennet, "and I expect nothing less for the woman who may one day become Mrs Darcy."

Darcy had spoken with great control, and it taxed his spirit not to express his intense anger and disdain for the way _his_ beloved Elizabeth had been treated. He wearily glanced at the woman in his thoughts and gave her a reassuring smile as she gazed at him with tears in her eyes once more.

 _Thank goodness she is not infuriated by my incredibly presumptuous statements,_ he thought, _perhaps this means she is not averse to the idea of being married to me? Or maybe she just thinks I'm saying these things to protect her from her mother. What if she doesn't return my feelings? What if she never does?_ Darcy stopped himself before he utterly gave into despair. He would not give up, and he would certainly not surrender Elizabeth without a fight.

Mr Darcy was brought out from his thoughts by the realization that Mrs Bennet had been speaking for quite some time.

"… and of course Lizzy has always been a favourite of mine she has such spirit, you know."

"Mrs Bennet, as long as we have an understanding of what my intentions towards your daughter are, and how I expect her to be treated by those who _should_ love her most dearly, I have no reason to remain at Longbourn and intrude upon your hospitality any longer. Mr Bennet, ma'am, I bid you farewell." Darcy said as civilly as the situation allowed. He arose, helped Elizabeth from her seat, and drew her out of the room behind him, leaving Mrs Bennet gaping in shock at his sudden interruption. Once in the hallway, he pulled her close once more, the day's events emboldening him in his show of affection.

"I hope you are not angry at my impertinence and presumption, Elizabeth, but I assure you I meant every word of what I said," the last part of the statement he uttered with a feeling of nervousness; his words at that very moment could be considered presumptuous, but Elizabeth's pain seemed to have robbed him of all reason.

"Fitzwilliam I assure you, you did and said nothing wrong," she whispered into his shoulder, breathing in his heady scent; it smelled like the earth after rain laced with leather and a strange sweetness she could not place. "I am sorry I am taking so long, I am just so afraid, so uncertain of my place in life, and if I could ever be worthy of you," she finally let out.

"Elizabeth, I understand your trepidation, but I must have you know –, " the door of the library started to creak open and the couple jumped apart and hurriedly walked down the hallway to the parlour. They joined Georgiana and Mary who both, unsurprisingly, sat at the pianoforte and Mr Darcy and his sister said their goodbyes, assuring both ladies that they would be returning for dinner the next day. Georgiana, in a moment of boldness, invited both Elizabeth and her sisters to Netherfield the next day for tea, saying she would much rather enjoy their company before dinner than sitting alone in the drawing room while her brother and cousin discussed their work. Her companion, Mrs Annesley, had expressed her desire for a day of rest and she was obliged to grant the lady her desire after having her constant, kind companionship for many months without respite.

Both Lizzy and Mary quickly agreed, and did so on behalf of their sisters as well; neither desired to remain in their mother's presence for any extended period of time.

With a kiss to, and squeeze of, Elizabeth's hand and a smiling bow to Mary, Mr Darcy bid the two goodnight. Georgiana gave a quick curtsey and walked out with her brother, and for the first time Lizzy felt deprived of the short moments she could spend alone in Mr Darcy's company as she walked him to his horse or carriage. She was very curious to know what he had meant to say before the library door had opened, and she hoped they could continue their conversation the following day.

* * *

After the two visitors had left, Mrs Bennet promptly swept into the drawing room followed by Lydia. "Lizzy, girl, why did you not tell me you were being courted by such a man as Mr Darcy?" the lady exclaimed, "If I had known there would not have been such uncertainty over our futures! Child, your insistence to vex me has caused great unhappiness to us all!" This unhappiness, however, was difficult to observe as Lydia sat smiling next to her mother and Mary hummed to herself, trying desperately to block out her mother's fawning. "Child, you must know I will not allow you to refuse Mr Darcy if he asks for your hand. You will not hurt your mother and family so again, I forbid it! Do you understand me, Elizabeth? And when you are Mrs Darcy you _will_ invite your sisters. You must not be so selfish as to keep your good fortune as a result of Mr Darcy's ignorance to yourself. Is that clear, dearest?" Mrs Bennet tried to sound sweet and motherly, but the effect of her tone and words made Lizzy feel sick to her stomach. She quietly nodded, whispered "Yes, mama," and left the room, too drained to argue any further. That evening she took refuge in her room, declined to go down for dinner because of a headache, and spent the remainder of the day writing to her aunt Gardiner while counting the hours until their arrival.

* * *

The next morning brought thunderclouds and rain to Hertfordshire once more, and it was with excitement, although for different reasons, that the girls piled into the carriage and set off to Netherfield after Mrs Bennet at last relented and instructed Jane to make a good impression on this cousin of Mr Darcy's, and perhaps find out how much he is worth. Their arrival at Netherfield was met with an equal amount of excitement as Georgiana was introduced to each of the remaining three Bennet sisters. Their first impressions of the timid, blonde girl with strong but pretty features were mixed. Mary had already decided she was a kind girl, although she did feel a slight pang of jealousy after witnessing her skill at the pianoforte. Jane took an instant liking to her and determined to be as kind and gentle as possible with the girl, as she could sense her insecurity and shyness. Kitty at first felt incredibly jealous as she took in her expensive clothing, and elegant jewelry, but the feeling couldn't last long as her quiet wit, and sly sense of humour was soon found to be to Kitty's liking and the girls became quick friends. Lydia, needless to say, was not impressed but she _was_ , however, determined to become friends with Miss Darcy, and so put on a bright smile and complimented her on the pretty lace of her dress. All the attention made dear Georgiana's face turn quite red with embarrassment, and she hurried everyone into the music room, leaving them in Mr Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam's company as she went to see to the refreshments.

One by one the girls were asked to introduce themselves again, this time to Mr Darcy's older, although not as handsome, cousin. As reflexive behaviour both Lydia and Kitty's ears perked when they heard 'Colonel' although Lydia had to admit he wasn't quite as good looking as she would have liked, and certainly no longer rich enough. Kitty, however, immediately took to his smiling, joking manner and not all too long afterward decided he was quite handsome after all. The colonel greeted all the ladies while oozing charm and had them all giggling within minutes of their acquaintance. He had met Elizabeth the previous afternoon, but once again couldn't stop himself from whispering "Darcy, it was awfully inconsiderate of you to keep such beauties to yourself all these months," as soon as they were out of earshot. Darcy chuckled deeply but didn't return to the ladies' presence again without warning his cousin in a joking, yet strangely serious tone, to keep his charm "away from Elizabeth" or he would challenge him to a duel at sunrise. To this the colonel's only reply was a gleeful chuckle and a slap on Darcy's back. He had to admit he admired Elizabeth's wit and spirit immensely, but he did not despair as her sisters were uncommonly beautiful and could surely make up for his loss.

Georgiana soon returned, and the two men were laughingly shooed out of the room to leave the ladies to their tea and conversation. After Georgiana answered several eager questions from Lydia and Kitty about the fashions of London, and blushingly accepted Jane's compliment of her embroidery, talk turned to Pemberley. Several times during Georgiana's descriptions of her stately home in Derbyshire she turned to look intently at Elizabeth's face which held an expression of awe and admiration, mixed with a sense of curiosity. Georgiana smiled happily, once more realizing how fortunate she was to have the home and brother she did, and happy to see the woman her brother loved so captivated by the description of what may be her future home. Eventually, Mary wandered to the pianoforte after learning there had been no additions to the library, and Lydia joined her in a duet. Kitty had brought her drawing material and, with the slightly embarrassed permission of Georgiana, for that is what she had insisted they all call her, attempted to draw both her and Elizabeth as they sat quietly talking on the sofa. Jane happily watched Kitty work, often interrupting her with quiet praise, at which Kitty beamed.

Elizabeth, happy to at last have the opportunity to get to know the girl better, sat listening animatedly as she spoke of her music masters and all the new pieces she planned to practice once she returned to London.

"I have so much time on my hands lately, and all I want to do is spend it with my pianoforte and harp!" she said enthusiastically and then turned bright red and added, "But of course I am enjoying my visit very much. I didn't mean to say I would rather be at home. I mean, London is lovely but I have missed Fitzwilliam so much I am happy to be here."

"I can imagine you miss your music lessons terribly, but we are very happy to have met you. Your brother has told me so much about you, and how proud he is of your accomplishments." Lizzy said, smiling.

"Did he really say that?" the young girl asked eagerly, "I suspect he told you of my actions last summer and how incredibly stupid I was," she added in a downcast tone.

"Your brother did tell me what that scoundrel Wickham had you believe, and you _must_ know that I could never think your actions were stupid. You were in love, and if anyone is to blame it is Wickham and him alone, do you understand? You are not alone in your pain. Many girls suffered at the hand of his vile ways, and the lesson you learned last summer will only make you stronger and more capable of facing the future."

Georgiana nodded quietly, obviously trying to hold back her tears. Elizabeth couldn't help herself, at seeing the girl in such a state she leaned over and pulled her into a gentle hug. When Georgiana's tears had ceased, Lizzy released her shoulders and squeezed her hand gently, "You are every bit a Darcy, Georgiana, if your brother is any standard to go by, and as such you are far stronger than you imagine. Your brother is terribly proud of you and he loves you even more, so do not despair. Things may seem dreadful now, but I promise it will get better." At this the girl gave Lizzy a small smile and fiddled with the embroidery on her lap as she tried to process Elizabeth's words. Unbeknownst to them both Mr Darcy and his cousin had witnessed the latter part of their interaction, and had not turned away in respect for the young girl's feelings like Kitty and Jane had done. With an immense sense of pride, Darcy watched his sister's actions, and he felt himself once more fall even deeper in love than he thought possible with his incredible Elizabeth.

The arrival of the men didn't remain unnoticed for all that long, and soon they joined all the ladies in conversation once more. Colonel Fitzwilliam seemed to take a liking to Jane and sat on a chair opposite her, drawing her into the conversation as often as the other occupants in the room allowed.

"I say, Darcy! If you had told me there was such merry, pleasing company to be had I would have been here ages ago!" he exclaimed loudly, with a wink to Jane who suddenly didn't know whether to blush or be horrified by his impertinence. Kitty giggled at the statement, and Lydia kept her nose pointed firmly upwards in disdain.

"I hope your fellow officers don't hear that Colonel, as I would imagine they think themselves quite merry and pleasing as well!" Kitty chuckled, and everyone in the room couldn't help but join in.

"I assure you, Miss Catherine, that all of the officers in England, along with Robin Hood's merry men, would not make for company any happier than that which I am in this very minute!" the colonel replied and Kitty smiled delightedly once more.

 _What a jolly man!_ thought she.

* * *

Alas, the cheerful company could not remain at Netherfield all day, and the girls once more had to pile into the carriage and make their way home. It was already frightfully near dinner time, and everyone knew Mrs Bennet would berate them if they arrived with too little time to prepare.

The Darcy's and Colonel Fitzwilliam all made their way to their rooms to rest and change, and a mere hour later were on their way once more to Longbourn. All the girls had dressed with excitement for the evening's company, and Lydia was determined to sit next to Miss Darcy and further their acquaintance. It didn't help that Georgiana seemed slightly frightened of her, but totally at ease with all the other sisters.

Mrs Bennet was in her element as she prepared to host 'such an important family', and as such was too busy screaming at the servants and yelling orders at Cook, to notice the girls' late arrival. No matter their late return, all five were quietly sitting in the parlour when the Darcy carriage arrived, and its three occupants alighted, ready to face the evening with nerves of steel.

* * *

It was thanks to those nerves of steel, and that alone, that all three made it through dinner intact.

Mrs Bennet's fawning over Miss Darcy made the girl incredibly uncomfortable and to make matters worse, Colonel Fitzwilliam's tendency to spur on the old lady's effusions and strange declarations only served to delight Kitty, shock Jane and Georgiana, and irritate Mr Darcy. Eventually, the company parted and Lizzy protectively drew Georgiana to the pianoforte and asked, or rather begged, her to play. At least Mrs Bennet couldn't listen attentively and talk at the same time. When Georgiana had obliged the ladies twice with cheerful melodies, Mary had played thrice as well, and there was still no sign of the men returning, Lizzy had no other choice than to sit Jane down next to Georgiana and take her place at the pianoforte in Mary's stead. In her rush to begin playing, she hadn't the time to choose a piece from the book before her, and so resorted to the only one she knew entirely by heart.

It was while Lizzy's unaffected and sweet voice sang the aria Voi Che Sapete, that all three men walked through the parlour door. Mr Bennet and the colonel took their seats, but Mr Darcy lingered, enthralled by the sound of his dearest, for that is what he called her in his thoughts, Elizabeth's voice filling the room. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, and _everybody_ noticed. At last, as the final note rang out, he approached her with a smile on his face.

"Do you wish to frighten me into making a mistake, sir?" she asked with a teasing smile.

"I know better than to attempt that, Elizabeth, as the feat is nigh impossible." he replied, matching her smile with a grin of his own.

"Very good, sir, as my courage rises with every attempt to intimidate me!" she countered.

"And that is one of the things I admire most about you," Mr Darcy replied, his voice filled with deep emotion.

Here Colonel Fitzwilliam let out a rather loud and prolonged cough, and the room dissolved into laughter once more, except for Mrs Bennet who couldn't seem to understand what was going on.

The rest of the evening passed uneventfully enough, and although Mr Darcy refused to speak to Mrs Bennet more than was absolutely necessary, any tension built was soon dissipated by another of the colonel's jokes.

Lizzy would not see Fitzwilliam again until Christmas Eve, apart from a short meeting at church the following day, and so while the colonel and Georgiana purposely lingered over their goodbyes, she walked the man out as she had always done. Before he could say a word, however, Elizabeth took hold of both his hands and whispered, "Thank you, Fitzwilliam, for everything, for all of it."

Darcy could do nothing but smile at Elizabeth as she spoke, and just as he began to reply that thanks was unnecessary, Lizzy took him by surprise and brought first his left, then his right hand to her lips and placed a kiss on each palm. Darcy groaned and was forced to use every ounce of self-control he had not to push her up against the carriage door and kiss her most thoroughly.

"You will be the death of me, Elizabeth," he whispered fervently into her ear, then stepped away as his two companions appeared on the path behind them.

Elizabeth bid both Georgiana and the colonel goodnight with as much composure as she could manage, and as soon as all three were in the carriage, spun on her heel and walked back home with a face-splitting smile. She had never had such power over anyone as that which she felt when her actions elicited such a strong response from Mr Darcy. It was thrilling and terrifying all at once.

* * *

That night, as she was wont to do, she once again lay in her bed thinking of Mr Darcy. She had forgotten to ask him about the conversation they had outside the library before they were interrupted. She'd have to bring it up when they met again.

Lizzy also realized she could no longer deny that her feelings for the man were incredibly strong and maybe, just maybe, she loved him. She couldn't yet be completely sure, having never been in love before, but the symptoms seemed to fit and unbeknownst to Lizzy her heart was already set.

Maybe her Aunt Gardiner would know more about what she was feeling. She would have to talk to her about it once they arrived.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Alrightio, here we go guys! I wasn't planning on updating again until after Christmas but this chapter just HAD to be written, so here it is; my Christmas gift to you all!

As always, I love hearing your thoughts on the latest chapter and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Also, if I do make spelling or grammar mistakes here and there please feel free to point it out. I am not perfect, and I don't have someone proofreading for me, so I can only do my best to spot the mistakes and fix them before publishing each chapter.

I hope you all have a happy holiday season, and that this chapter brought a smile to your face, wherever you may be!

Best wishes,

Sammy


	10. Christmas with the Bennets Pt 1

The next two days passed in a blur. Elizabeth saw naught of her Mr Darcy, being constantly occupied with preparations for the Christmas celebrations. It would be the first time in quite a while that Longbourn would be full to bursting point. The Gardiners were to arrive on the 23rd and leave to London once more on the 30th, taking Jane with them. Lizzy and Mr Bennet had suggested the trip as Jane still seemed despondent at times and they hoped a change of scenery would improve her spirits. Elizabeth's aunt and uncle would not come alone; their 4 young children would be joining the party and Lizzy greatly looked forward to the mischief and games she was sure they would invent.

Mrs Langdon had left the previous week to visit her daughter and would return early January. Needless to say both Lydia and Kitty welcomed the reprieve with open arms, especially as there would be an assembly on the first evening of the New Year and they would both be allowed to attend.

The Phillipses would also be attending the Christmas Eve celebration at Longbourn, along with Mr and Miss Darcy, and Colonel Fitzwilliam. Elizabeth had snuck Mr Ferrars onto the list as well, and Mrs Bennet was as delighted as could be imagined when he eagerly accepted the invitation even though she could not remember having one delivered. It would be a merry group of 19 people, and Lizzy was sure the chaos would be amusing, if not extreme.

While Mrs Bennet busied herself preparing the menu of venison, pheasant, Christmas pie, pudding, syllabub, and countless piles of gingerbread and buttered shortbread, Elizabeth saw to the acquisition of mistletoe at her mother's adamant instruction, along with the cutting of the new Yule Log.

Lydia and Mary practiced playing and singing carols and did little else, Lydia being allergic to the concept of hard work, and Mary being overlooked entirely by her mother and thus left to her own devices. Jane strung up decorations and weaved ribbons along every conceivable surface, and Kitty made herself useful decorating name cards for each of the guests and lending a hand to Jane.

So the days flew by - the house filled with chatter and sweet voices rising above the noise, and everyone too busy to think of anything other than the tasks at hand.

* * *

At last the Gardiners arrived. Lizzy was the first to hear their carriage on the road outside and rushed out to meet them.

"Uncle! Aunt!" she cried out happily, "Oh and look how you've grown Louis! You too, Dorothy and Emma! Oh my, here is little Benjamin. He has such a sweet face!" Lizzy's excitement was palpable and her uncle and aunt beamed as they embraced their favourite niece.

Soon Jane, Kitty, Lydia, and finally Mary poured out and ran up to greet their cousins. Mr Bennet was glad to finally have some male company once more and smiled happily as he stood at the door with Mrs Bennet by his side. At last, with Emma and Dorothy swinging on Elizabeth's arms, and Louis chattering excitedly to Kitty, the company made their way inside. Jane carried little Benjamin, only seven months old and already promising to be a very handsome boy.

Edward and Marianne Gardiner had heard much about Mr Darcy through Elizabeth's letters and they were curious to know more about this enigma of a man, but their journey had tired them out and they spent most of the afternoon resting in their rooms. Traveling with four excitable children was not quite like traveling alone, they agreed with weary smiles.

Said children, however, showed no sign of fatigue and it took the attention and worry of all the sisters to prevent them from rushing outside and dirtying their clothes on the muddy ground.

At last, dinner arrived and some form of peace settled on the house. The meal was simple but hearty, and soon all the occupants of Longbourn sat snugly in the parlour as the children played simple songs on the pianoforte with Mary and Kitty's guidance.

Benjamin was asleep in the spare room which now acted as a nursery, his nanny having put him to bed early that evening. Soon, she returned for the other children and they rushed off to the room only after being reminded they would need their sleep for the next day's fun.

Finally, Mrs Gardiner found some time to speak with her niece while the two sat comfortably near the fire.

"I am greatly looking forward to meeting this Mr Darcy of yours," she began with a sly smile.

"I am eager for you and uncle to meet him as well. He is an incredibly intelligent man, and I know Uncle will find his ideas fascinating. It's your opinion I need most though, aunt." Lizzy said with a small smile.

"Why, my dear, I never thought I would need to give _you_ of all people advice on love. You are intensely passionate by nature, you know," came Mrs Gardiner's reply.

"I never thought I'd be in this predicament either!" exclaimed Lizzy, "You know how I treated Mr Darcy, and how he treated me, at the beginning of our acquaintance, and then mere weeks later he seems to be an entirely different man. He is kind, gentle, and has the most peculiarly satisfying sense of humour I have ever encountered, yet my feelings are still so dreadfully confusing. I think I may love him, but I am utterly unsure, and I have no one to talk to about it, not even Jane. She is burdened by her own heartache and I cannot expect her to bear my own fears too."

"My dear, sometimes love is unexplainable and horribly confusing, but that is usually only when we overthink things. You do not experience love with your head, Lizzy, only with your heart. I can see you admire and respect Mr Darcy, but you must give your heart the chance to decide for you. I promise you, once you do that, the answers you desire will become clear as day. Just do not analyze your feelings too deeply, dearest. Sometimes logic scares away every last shred of love when it should have worked together with it to form a strong relationship."

"Oh, aunt, what would I do without you?" Lizzy exclaimed, and pulled her into a tight hug, "It's as though, well, I feel like I knew this all along, but didn't realize it until you told me. I _know_ Mr Darcy is a good, respectable man, and that he would never purposefully hurt me. Perhaps now is the time to let my heart decide entirely, as my conscience has already been satisfied."

"There you go, dear, just trust that your heart will guide you to the right choice." Mrs Gardiner replied with a smile as she patted Lizzy's hand.

The two ladies turned back to the entertainment around the room, and applauded at Mary's playing while Mrs Gardiner whispered to Lizzy; "I've never seen Mary play with as much emotion as she has tonight! You must enlighten me as to the reason behind this delightful change."

And so Elizabeth recounted Mary's semi-relationship with Mr Ferrars, while Mrs Gardiner glanced happily to the girl in question at several intervals.

"I am very happy for her. I always thought she had so much potential if people would only take notice of how hard she tries to impress."

Lizzy nodded rapidly, knowing she was once part of the problem. Thus the evening progressed, although all the members of the household retired early in preparation for the next day's festivities.

* * *

The day dawned cold, cloudy, but dry. No snow was to be seen outside, and the muddy puddles were slowly being absorbed into the ground.

As the inhabitants of Longbourn scurried to prepare for the evening's events, Netherfield was similarly abuzz, but for a slightly different reason.

Georgiana was incredibly excited to have a large Christmas celebration for once, not having truly celebrated the day in such a style since her mother's death. She had decided to present each of the Bennet sisters with daintily embroidered handkerchiefs she had commissioned from London and spent most of the morning desperately trying to decide which pattern suited which sister better. Colonel Fitzwilliam had left early that morning in search of suitable hunting grounds – he grew restless easily and had to find some way to vent his frustration at being indoors for far too long. Darcy had shared in Georgiana's excitement and secretly wondered what Elizabeth's aunt and uncle from London would be like. She had told him they were very respectable people, although their living was made from trade, and he was eager to meet them and make a good impression.

Darcy also had a special gift commissioned for Elizabeth from one of his most trusted bookshops; a copy of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' which she had claimed to favour above all his other plays. It had a custom made leather cover decorated with bright blue forget-me-nots, a symbol of friendship, love, and remembrance, and he hoped she would appreciate the sentiment. He also prayed she would not think what he included inside was too forward.

It wouldn't exactly be proper for him to give a gift to a woman he was not engaged to , but he had convinced Georgiana to present her with it instead – it had honestly taken very little convincing as Georgi now claimed to like Elizabeth even more than Fitzwilliam did – a statement he declared 'impossible'.

So he wrapped the book in a simple cloth, wondering if she would find the message the inscription pointed to. Inside he had simply written,

'Elizabeth, at times life's most elusive answers may only be found within.

Yours, FD'

He fervently hoped she would understand the meaning behind his words, and that she would finally decide to love him. Fitzwilliam Darcy believed he would go mad if he had to wait any longer to hold her in his arms once more.

* * *

At last, Longbourn's most anticipated event was nearly upon them. All its inhabitants had taken extra care with their appearance, though none more so than Lizzy and Kitty.

Elizabeth wore a new dress her aunt had brought from London, apparently produced by one of her most trusted modistes. It was made of the deepest forest green cloth, and small beige flowers decorated the bottom half of its skirt. The full-length sleeves were sewn in such a way to appear as though they were twisting and writhing around her arms, and their hems were fringed by beige lace in thick, bold patterns. Lizzy had instantly known it would be a new favourite. Her hair, free of any adornments, was braided loosely and pinned atop her head allowing dark curls to frame her face and contrast with her lighter-than-usual complexion.

Kitty had removed almost all the lace, along with all the ribbons from one of her favourite dresses. Made of white muslin with plum coloured accents, the removal of all its previous accessories provided it with a simple, elegant appearance greatly complemented by Kitty's decision to pull all her hair back from her face and have it piled on top of her head in a cascade of wavy strands and fine purple ribbons. With her face fully exposed one could not help but admire her beauty, and for the first time Kitty thought she likely looked even prettier than Lydia.

Lydia was once again wearing a dress that skirted the borders of propriety, but as that was nothing to be surprised at it barely went noticed. The only thing that truly stood out was her hairstyle – a complicated up-do of braids and curls, pearls and ribbons. It had taken Beth nearly two hours to complete and had almost resulted in everyone else being late.

Jane, as usual, was a vision in sky blue which had always been her preferred shade as it brightened her eyes and seemed such a light, happy colour. Her duties as stand-in mistress of the house were now at an end, but the responsibility she had borne provided her with a sense of maturity and decisiveness she had not possessed before. Lizzy thought it only made her lovelier.

Mary was by far the biggest surprise. After hours of nagging and begging from her eldest sisters, she had given them free-rein over her appearance and looked absolutely eye-catching in a ruby red dress which once belonged to Lizzy. The vibrant colour played off of her dark complexion exceptionally well, providing a very exotic overall effect, while the modest cut and simplicity of it stayed true to her principles. Her hair was pulled tightly back into a neat chignon secured with a single red ribbon.

Even Mr Bennet was compelled to admit that each of his daughters looked exceptionally pretty that evening.

* * *

Mr Ferrars, who was the first to arrive, could do naught but agree. His eyes lit up when he saw Mary sitting nervously near the fire, and seemed delighted when he smiled and bowed in her direction and her face suddenly turned bright red to match her dress. Mr Bennet occupied the man in conversation for far longer than was necessary obviously enjoying the way Mr Ferrars fidgeted and tried to bring the conversation to an end.

 _Not so fast, young man,_ Mr Bennet thought with a silent chuckle, _I do so enjoy seeing my daughters' suitors squirm._

Poor Mr Ferrars had to spend another ten minutes discussing the various effects of laudanum with a surprisingly uninterested partner until Mary, in an unprecedented and bold move, walked over and inserted herself into their talk. Mrs Gardiner, Lizzy, and Jane noticed and shared sly, conspiratorial smiles from opposite sides of the room.

Lizzy was, at the moment, well and truly occupied jokingly scaring Louis and Dorothy, who both squealed and shrieked with delight at her every roar and tickle. Jane once again had Benjamin in her arms, and Emma was quite content making her 3-year-old opinion on fashion known to Lydia who laughed good-naturedly as the girl repeated in an incredibly serious tone, "Lyddie, everything must **SPARKLE!** "

Mr Darcy, Miss Darcy, and Colonel Fitzwilliam were the next to arrive. Both men looked striking in dark-hued waistcoats and perfectly white ruffled shirts.

Georgiana had opted for one of her simpler gowns in an effort not to make the other girls feel uncomfortable by any display of unnecessary wealth on her part. The simplicity of her outfit could not, however, hide its refinement and sophistication, nor could the brilliant diamond necklace around her neck hide her wealth. The youngest Bennet girls couldn't help but feel jealous as she swept in, a vision of pale pink and sparkles, much to Emma's delight.

Reader, it gives me great pleasure to write that both Mr Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam's jaws dropped so incredulously low upon catching sight of the Bennet girls, that not even Mr Bennet's bark of laughter could snap them out of their revelry. They were well and truly mesmerized.

At last, waking from his daydream, Darcy wasted no more time and after a quick bow to the general occupants of the room, he nigh rushed to Elizabeth's side and barely left her all evening.

The Colonel it seemed was having his decisiveness severely tested. Miss Jane was indeed an angel, as Darcy had told him Bingley called her, but she had shown very little response to his small flirtations and preference in conversation. She did not seem to enjoy his raucous sense of humour, and he had soon realised they would not be well suited. _And, regardless of my affection, I cannot very well go marrying without a hint of fortune or dowry,_ he had said to himself that day.

He had truly believed he would stay true to his convictions until his eyes rested on Miss Catherine. She had taken part in his jokes happily and had already grabbed his attention at Netherfield, but tonight she had frozen him in his spot near the parlour door. Wildly laughing at something her uncle had said, and showing very little care for what society may think of a woman who expresses her mirth with such abandon he couldn't help but admire her spirit, and of course her looks. She was tall, taller than Miss Elizabeth, but she carried her height exceptionally well. Not only that, but she had pulled her hair out of her face and now, without trying to look so much like a French lady-of-fashion, he could only stare at her extremely pretty features. Yes indeed, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam's decision to marry for money was being sorely tested.

At that moment Kitty turned to glance at the Colonel and flashed him a merry smile, which he returned, as Darcy would say, far too eagerly.

* * *

At last, the Phillipses arrived, claiming to be fashionably late.

"I will _not_ arrive early, Robert," Susan Phillips had said determinedly, "Fanny has guests from London and all of the ton knows it is fashionable to arrive slightly late. I will not have us looking like country bumpkins in front of such distinguished people."

Mrs Phillips had the near spitting image of Mrs Bennet's temperament, thankfully minus the malice, but with a far greater proclivity for gossip.

* * *

So, with all the merry party assembled, Mr and Mrs Bennet arose and led the group to the dining room. Jane had helped with the seating and so Elizabeth found herself happily situated between Mr Darcy and Georgiana. Mrs Bennet and Mrs Phillips sat together, with their husbands on their other sides, Mr Bennet obviously being positioned at the head of the table, and so could chatter to their hearts' content without disturbing the guests.

Lydia sat next to Georgiana, and Kitty between Jane and Colonel Fitzwilliam on the other side with her aunt and uncle.

Mr Darcy had insisted on escorting Elizabeth to the dining room even though it was an informal party and, as he lingered in the hallway with Elizabeth on his arm, he pulled her close for a split second and whispered with a husky voice, "I don't know how much longer I can see you like this Elizabeth, and not go insane. Every day you become more beautiful and it is trying my patience immensely."

Lizzy could make no reply. His proximity, his scent, his breath against her cheek, made her legs want to buckle beneath her, and she clung tightly to his arm. This seemed to please Mr Darcy immensely and before she could speak, he turned forward, guided her to the dining room, and helped her to her seat. Lizzy felt dazed for almost all of her father's toast and could do little but stare at her hands fiddling pointlessly in her lap. Mr Darcy was entirely destroying her composure and she could not find it within herself to complain in any way.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hi there everyone! I've returned sufficiently over-fed and quite excited to continue the story. I already have half of the next chapter written so it should be published sometime today as well!

Hope you like Christmas with the Bennets so far, although this chapter does feel like a bit of a filler. The good stuff is coming!

 **Justdreaming88 –** thanks for spotting that typo, I fixed it!

As always, thanks to all you awesome reviewers, you guys really inspire me to continue writing!


	11. Christmas with the Bennets Pt 2

Mr Bennet's speech completed, the servants entered and served the feast. Mrs Bennet had outdone herself, and was greatly pleased to see her guests smile contentedly throughout the four courses. Wine flowed freely and everyone enjoyed conversing cheerfully with their neighbours and those who sat opposite them.

Mr Darcy's respect for Edward Gardiner, with whom he was deep in conversation, grew by the minute and by the end of the night he had already decided to invest with the man, for his prospects if he did so seemed very promising in the long run.

While Fitzwilliam and her uncle spoke, Lizzy turned to Georgiana and Lydia. The two seemed to finally be chatting effortlessly, as Lydia's constant flattery was strangely absent and so was Georgiana's shyness. With her input obviously not needed, Lizzy amused herself by observing the rest of the room.

As expected, her mother and Mrs Phillips were animatedly chattering about a topic Lizzy couldn't quite make out, nor did she truly care to try. Mr Bennet seemed once more to be having an interesting conversation with Mr Ferrars, who was happily seated by Mary's side. Lizzy saw Mary chime into their discussion several times and smiled contentedly.

Colonel Fitzwilliam, it seemed, was completely absorbed in his exchange with Kitty, and Lizzy was glad to see her sister laugh happily and blush several times throughout the meal, obviously not used to the constant attention. In fact, the dear colonel seemed to be oblivious to everyone and everything around him as he devoted all his attention to the woman beside him. _Woman. It seems so strange to call Kitty that, but it is what she is fast becoming,_ Lizzy thought wistfully.

Jane was excitedly discussing her London plans with her aunt Gardiner, and Lizzy was pleased to see her vivacity slowly returning.

* * *

Turning back to her plate she very suddenly became aware once more of Mr Darcy's proximity as his hand lightly grazed her knee beneath the table. Poor Lizzy had to do everything in her power not to gasp aloud at the shock it sent through her body. Even through layers upon layers of material his touch disconcerted her and she hid her bright red cheeks behind a large glass of wine. Mr Darcy had the nerve to give her a sly smile, although his pale face seemed to betray the extent of his own feelings in the moment. Lizzy tried to glare at him but only blushed once more, and was lost to the room for the remainder of dinner.

After dessert, the whole party remained leisurely at the table. The children had been seated separately near the end of the room, and now ran up to join the adults, making themselves at home on their relatives' laps.

Eventually, their excitement for presents and games became overbearing, and the whole group descended upon the parlour once more, although this time the party progressed much slower as a servant had hung the mistletoe Mrs Bennet had been so excited about above the parlour door.

* * *

Each of the pairs that passed beneath it exchanged light-hearted kisses; the children having their cheeks kissed by their older cousins, and the married couples indulging in a quick peck on the lips. Mr Ferrars, in a bold move, drew Mary's hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles; Mary, never having been bestowed with such a token of affection, turned pink once more and looked embarrassedly over at her father and sisters who had barely noticed the occurrence.

As Lizzy and Darcy walked through the door, however, Mr Bennet and Mr Gardiner gave them both a pointed look. Much to Darcy's chagrin he could not, as he had imagined all week, yank Elizabeth against him and ravish her with kisses. Instead, he had to settle for following Mr Ferrars' lead and placed a kiss upon her knuckles. If his hand didn't leave hers for quite a while afterward, no one seemed the wiser.

* * *

The whole family gathered around the fire, the Yule log proudly on display, and one by one the gifts were bestowed upon the young Gardiners. Mere minutes the four were laughing and playing happily in the corner, and the adults had their turns. Each of the sisters, it seemed, had acquired a small gift for Georgiana along with those for their family members. Unfortunately, Lizzy could not give Mr Darcy anything that Christmas – propriety forbade it – but Darcy and his cousin were not totally left out as Georgiana presented them with gifts of her own.

At last Georgiana was given the chance to present her gifts and she did so with a light blush, and a certain measure of shyness. She had, after much tribulation, decided upon the patterns that suited each sister best and proceeded to bestow the lavender embroidered handkerchief upon Jane, a brightly coloured one covered in daisies for Kitty, a rather sophisticated looking one with diamonds embroidered along its edges for Lydia, and a plain white one with fine golden leaves and wildflowers for Mary.

All four sisters looked extremely pleased and their thanks were profuse and cheerful.

For Lizzy, Georgiana had had a very specific pattern in mind, and she presented her with a beige kerchief intricately embroidered with oak leaves and wild berries. Something about the design had made Georgiana instantly think of Lizzy and her wild, untameable spirit, which was what she greatly admired and hoped one day to possess a little of herself. She also handed over the book with a shy smile, along with a short note.

Lizzy glanced at its contents and suddenly gave Darcy a pointed look, smiling unbelievingly as she arched her brow.

 _'Elizabeth,_

 _I do so hope you like the handkerchief I chose. This book is from Fitzwilliam, who insisted I present it to you tonight. He's acting all secretive lately and I find it dreadfully amusing._

 _Your friend, Georgi_

 _PS. Feel free to address me as such, 'Georgiana' is rather a mouthful._

All four sisters were intensely interested in the other package Lizzy had received, but she gave them no room for speculation as she quickly requested Mary and Lydia entertain them with a few carols they had learned the previous week. The two girls happily obliged, and soon the whole household happily joined in the singing as wine and tea was served with even larger piles of biscuits and treats.

The card tables were eventually set up, and a large part of the group wandered over to play or observe.

As Lizzy moved to join Mary at the pianoforte she gleefully overheard a part of the colonel and Kitty's conversation.

"… cards were incredibly detailed and magnificently rendered, I must say. I went about the room and saw each flower you used corresponded to the first letter of the person's name and it was quite ingenious. Thankfully no one here has a name beginning with 'X' or 'Z' although I would have liked to see you triumph over _such_ a challenge," the colonel had said with a chuckle.

Kitty refrained from blushing this time, but replied with grand confidence, "Why sir, your underestimation of my skill is quite shocking! I'd simply have painted Xeranthemums and Zephyr Lilies if that was the case."

The colonel had no reply to that, and stared at Kitty with a mix of wonder and amusement.  
"I have always loved flowers, and now that I spend much of my time drawing and painting I've become intimately acquainted with my father's books on the topic. There is very little I do not know about the world of plants, although the use of such knowledge is still highly questionable, I may add."

The colonel gave a delighted laugh, but his reply was lost to Lizzy's ears as she continued to her destination.

Mary, who had once fought to remain at the pianoforte with every argument and power of persuasion she possessed now happily invited Lizzy to join her in a duet. The room grew still as both sisters played and sang sweetly, and the admiration on both Mr Ferrrars and Darcy's face was quite obvious. The applause was loud and hearty when the melody ended, and both sisters were quite embarrassed when they realized they had been the centre of attention for quite some time.

At last, when the clock neared midnight, the children were sent to bed and the card tables packed away. Lydia and Jane now occupied the pianoforte and their quiet, sweet voices rang out into the stillness of the night around them. Light poured from every window of the house and any passers-by were struck by the warmth and joy such a scene emitted.

When neither Mrs Bennet, nor Mrs Phillips could keep their eyes open any longer, all the guests said their goodbyes and emptied out into the icy cold night.

As the last member of the Longbourn household to fall asleep, Lizzy stayed up for quite some time reading, and re-reading Mr Darcy's inscription and Georgiana's note, trying to make sense of it all. She had immediately grasped the symbolism behind the forget-me-nots, but the message inside the book puzzled her. Her heart and cheeks were still warm from the emotions she had felt when her eyes rested on the unwrapped the book covered in flowers symbolising devotion and deep friendship. Finally being able to stay awake no longer she returned to her room, slipped the book beneath her pillow, and fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

All the inhabitants of Longbourn arose rather late the next day. It was a rush of breakfasting and dressing before they all descended upon the small church along with more than half of Meryton.

Lizzy had caught a glance of Mr Darcy and his companions during the service, but her attention was so fully engaged in catching up with her friends and neighbours after its end that she didn't see either of the Netherfield party again that day.

She had nearly forgotten Mr Darcy's gift from the previous evening, but as she lay down to rest that afternoon, she felt the solid lump beneath her pillow and pulled the book out from beneath it. It was a beautifully decorated cover. Bright blue flowers covered the soft leather, painted in exquisite detail. Inside, the inscription continued to puzzle her.

At last, being able to think of no reasonable meaning for it, she began re-reading the play she had read hundreds of times before in search of a clue. She did not reach too far, however, when she was called downstairs by Jane who insisted they write to their closest friends to wish them well over the festive season.

* * *

Writing to Charlotte was a delight, and so was writing to her aunt on her father's side, who had married a gentleman from Ireland and lived there happily with her husband and two children. Lizzy had never met her other cousins on her father's side but knew from letters that the two were very clever, and very, very lively. Imogen was the eldest at sixteen, and Conor had just turned eleven. Lizzy once again begged her Aunt Lillian to visit, and bring along her uncle and cousins. She had always wanted to meet her wild cousins whose hijinks she had heard of for years now. She corresponded with Imogen as regularly as could be managed and the two girls liked each other immensely despite having never met.

Remaining thus occupied with her writing the remainder of the day passed peacefully. Mrs Bennet had retired to her room claiming she had a headache, and her younger sisters were occupying the Gardiner children somewhere in the nursery. Once she completed her letters, Lizzy made her way to the library and spent much of the evening in her father's company. As usual, they discussed almost every topic imaginable, and it wasn't uncommon to hear both Lizzy and her father dissolve into a fit of giggles as they commented on some absurdity or another.

Lizzy knew her father had many shortcomings, but she loved him despite that, knowing she had many such faults herself.

* * *

The next day brought snow, and Lizzy awoke to a world covered in it. As far as the eye could see, brilliantly white powder covered every conceivable surface, and flurries of it still descended rapidly from the heavens.

She had hoped to see Mr Darcy again that day, but now it seemed quite impossible.

It seemed all of Meryton had awoken with great surprise at a snow-covered Hertfordshire. It was rather unusual, and so most of the town's inhabitants remained inside their homes content in the knowledge of such a strange occurrence, and that their neighbours would have much to say about it once the snowstorm ended.

Longbourn's inhabitants did what they could to keep busy indoors, but the day didn't pass without Lizzy sighing and staring at the door with a look of longing upon her face at least thrice.

Able to bear no more of her older sister's rather annoying sighs and groans of frustration, Kitty had convinced Lizzy to sit and have her portrait drawn. Knowing this could take several hours to finish, Lizzy had run upstairs, grabbed the book Mr Darcy had given her, and tumbled back down. Now, seated near the window, she resumed her reading as Kitty happily sketched; only intruding on Lizzy's reflection when she needed her to lift or turn her head a certain way. It had now been more than five days since Lizzy last had a proper conversation with Mr Darcy, and she was experiencing his absence most painfully. Trying to turn her thoughts onto happier paths, she returned to the book in her lap once more and read with extra attention.

That attention couldn't last though and finally, with a very unladylike snort of exasperation, she flipped through the book frustratedly. Just as Kitty let out a giggle at her sister's actions, Lizzy noticed one of the pages seemed slightly different from the rest. Her poor mood instantly forgotten, she frantically flipped back to where she had seen it, and after a few seconds of searching found the page once more. It was part of the play's second scene and second act. A few sentences had been underlined, and with her heart pounding in her chest, Lizzy forced herself to read the entire page from the start.

This particular section had Polonius read Hamlet's letter to Ophelia out loud, and although she had read the play far more times than she could count, Lizzy could not for the life of her remember what he had written.

Slowly she made her way down the page until she reached the beginning of the neat lines Mr Darcy had obviously drawn.

As her eyes alighted upon the words they filled with tears, and her heart felt close to beating out of her chest.

" _Doubt thou the stars are fire_ ,

 _Doubt that the sun doth move_ ,

 _Doubt truth to be a liar_ ,

 _But never doubt I love"_

The sudden flood of love for _her_ Fitzwilliam shocked her to her core, and she burst out in tears and laughter at the same time.

Kitty jumped up, completely confused, and all four sisters stared at Elizabeth in a mixture of shock and surprise.

"Lizzy, dearest, what's wrong?" Jane exclaimed as she rushed over to her side.

"Oh, nothing is wrong Jane, nothing at all. It's just Mr Darcy loves me. He truly loves me, Jane, and I love him as well." Elizabeth cried, no longer caring if anyone else in the room should know.

"I only just realized it, but I love him. Oh how could I have not known before!" she continued.

At this Jane broke down as well. With happy tears, she sat down beside her sister and drew her into a tight embrace. Kitty skipped over and with a smile did the same. Soon Mary and Lydia joined the group, laughing wildly for no particular reason, only glad to be sharing in their sister's new understanding. They remained so for several minutes and then, as if embarrassed by their sudden show of girlishness and affection, Lydia and Mary returned to their previous occupations and Kitty once more continued her drawing. Jane remained by her sisters side for a few minutes longer, but eventually too reverted to her embroidery. And so Lizzy was left with her thoughts once more.

* * *

"Oh why does this dreadful snow not cease?!" Lizzy finally cried out, once all the girls were seated with at least some sort of decorum again.

Jane smiled at her sister's sudden impatience. _What a strange revelation to have while reading something as innocent as Hamlet!_ Jane mused. If only she had known.

* * *

Maintaining some semblance of normalcy was an almost impossible feat for Lizzy that day. She could not leave the house because of the snow, and so she paced, and sighed, and paced some more. Exasperated, she went to find her aunt.

Talking to her about her sudden realization made her realize how silly she had been. She had loved Mr Darcy for quite some time now, she had only been too stubborn, too scared to admit it. All at once guilt flooded through her as she thought of how poorly she had treated him at first, and the feeling only increased when she imagined the pain she must have caused him through her indecision and refusal to listen to her feelings all these weeks. She _had_ to speak to him. _Soon._

* * *

Unfortunately, as we are all aware, life does not always play out the way we want it to, and so the snow continued to fall, and Lizzy continued to pace.

No matter how many distractions her sisters conjured, Lizzy's mind continuously flitted back to Mr Darcy and what she would say to him when they met again.

 _Mr Darcy, thank you so much for the book,_ Lizzy scripted her speech mentally, _I cannot begin to express how pleased I was at its message._

 _No._ _Good heavens, no!_

She adjusted her seating.

 _I have to tell you, I love you._

 _Maybe. Oh I don't know! Why_ _, why is this so incredibly difficult?_

So dear Lizzy was a prisoner of her thoughts for much of the day, and her relief once dinner was over and she was allowed to retire to her room was felt by all.

That night she and Jane spoke for a long time. They spoke of their hopes for the future, and their love for their family, and how they refused to forget each other no matter where they may end up. Jane knew she would soon be losing her dearest sister, and understood that her loss would be felt acutely by all at Longbourn. But, as Jane was wont to do, she could not remain unhappy for more than half a minute, and soon was giggling and whispering excitedly with Lizzy as they discussed what the future held.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Whabam! Second chapter done for the day!

So, what do you guys think? What would you like to happen?

How do you like my use of Hamlet? And yes, I know Lizzy thinks poetry kills love that isn't already strong, but I argue that their love was already pretty damn strong before she found his message. She just hadn't yet admitted/realized it.

What would you like to see more of in the next few chapters?

And also, for the wedding, which is still several chapters away, I'm torn between having it at Pemberley, or having it at the church near Longbourn. I know tradition would be at Longbourn, but meh, Pemberley would be a really fun option to write.

Hope you're all enjoying your holidays


	12. Ecstasy Incarnate

After the previous day's snowstorm, Lizzy, Jane, Mary, and Kitty were sent out with food parcels and extra blankets for Longbourn's poorer tenants. The snow had ceased to fall and the sun reflected from the crisp white coat on the ground, almost blinding the girls as they set off on their walk bundled up as warmly as possible.

As they went from one home to another, spending a few minutes in each wishing the families well, and seeing to their needs, Kitty skipped ahead, pulling the small sled piled high with supplies behind her. She delighted in the way her warm breath made dragon-like puffs in the freezing air and Lizzy was glad to see she was still very much Kitty, although she seemed far more sensible lately.

As they neared old Mrs Northam's house they heard quite a commotion coming from its front door and hurried inside. What they saw shocked them all greatly. The poor lady's house had been in ill repair for quite some time, and a flurry of snow had made part of the roof collapse. Mr Ferrars was already caring for the shivering, frightened old dame, and that day that Lizzy's estimation of him rose enormously; Mr Ferrars, it seemed, offered his services without cost to several families in Meryton who could not afford even an apothecary.

Upon noticing the girls he gave a quick nod of his head and said, with an air of decisiveness and experience, "Ah, Miss Mary, you are indeed a sight for sore eyes as I could use your steady hands for this next bit."

Mary immediately went to his side and, with his clear and patient instruction, aided him in resetting a bone in the teary old lady's arm. Even though she cried out frantically in pain, Mary did not flinch once, and Lizzy gazed upon the scene in awe and admiration. Jane and Kitty had shut their eyes and blocked their ears at the shrieks, stumbling outside as quickly as their feet could carry them.

With the old lady, at last, resting quietly on a tattered sofa, wrapped up in several thick quilts, Lizzy could assess the damage to the house's roof. She promised Mrs Northam she would send some workmen to repair it as soon as possible, and so took off at a frightful pace back to Longbourn.

* * *

After relating the state of things to her father, she ran off to the stables and made sure the stable boy spurred a few men into action. The house would be repaired by the end of the day, they assured her. With foresight however, Lizzy insisted one of the men take a large basket of food and hot, hearty soup with them for Mrs Northam, along with another large pile of thick blankets.

About an hour later, Jane, Mary, and Kitty returned. They informed Lizzy that the workers had already begun the repairs and that Mrs Northam sent her repeated thanks for the food and blankets, so Lizzy was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Poor Mrs Northam was recently widowed and relied mainly on their support to survive.

* * *

The girls all decided to remain indoors for a while, opting to huddle around the fireplace sipping tea and trying desperately to warm up. This lull in activity meant Lizzy's mind once again drifted towards Mr Darcy. She missed him terribly, and was desperate to see him that day if only she knew where he was that minute.

 _Perhaps he is at Netherfield, staying away from the freezing air like any sensible person would,_ she wondered. The snow was too deep for carriages and horses, so the only way to travel was by foot until the roads were sufficiently cleared. _Of course he is at Netherfield you silly girl,_ Lizzy reprimanded herself, _he'd be mad to venture far away considering the state of things, and even if he could, where would he want to go?!_

She was at last drawn out of her thoughts by Jane who asked if she would like more tea. "No, thank you," she replied, making up her mind to walk out to Longbourn's gate so she could at least get a glance at Netherfield, and see if smoke arose from its chimneys.

* * *

The air was decidedly less frosty when she stepped out of the house again, and the sun still shone brilliantly, turning the entire landscape into a sparkling wonderland. _Emma would love to come and play outside, I bet,_ she thought with a smile. The children were all feeling under the weather that morning, and Mrs Gardiner had been cloistered in the nursery caring for them. "Nothing more than a passing cold," she reassured Lizzy it was. _Probably as a result of all the week's excitement, and the travel from London too,_ she'd thought to herself.

So with no further duties for that day, Lizzy strolled leisurely, rather enjoying the sunshine and the clean, fresh appearance of the land. So absorbed was she in the beauty around her that she wandered slightly further in Netherfield's direction than she had first planned. The birds were once more making their songs heard and she the exercise had rendered her comfortably warm, and so she happily continued on her way.

She reached a patch of trees, and as she slowed to catch her breath footsteps could be heard coming in her direction. She froze with a slight sense of fear. It would be highly unusual for any of the town's people to be walking in the area on a day like this, and highwaymen were not utterly unheard of in Meryton. Before she could turn to conceal herself behind a tree, however, the owner of the crunching, heavy footsteps appeared.

"Mr Darcy!" Lizzy exclaimed blushing furiously as her heart hammered her ribcage. She had not expected to meet him here, not today, certainly not right now. _Oh goodness, what should I say? I can't very well blurt out the first thing that comes to mind!_ her thoughts tumbled wildly over each other.

Mr Darcy, too, seemed rather startled, and gave an awkward bow before walking over to Elizabeth and politely inquiring after her family. He couldn't help but also question why she was walking out alone in this weather.

"Well I, uh, I was actually looking for you, sir," she finally stammered, the red tinge still not leaving her cheeks.

Lizzy the impertinent, Lizzy the outspoken, Lizzy the 'loud' and 'opinionated', had run out of things to say. Luckily Mr Darcy continued the conversation with considerable ease.

"Looking for me?" he said, feigning shock, although his delighted smile betrayed him, "I must say that is quite a coincidence, as I was just on my way to Longbourn looking for _you_ Elizabeth!"

"You were?" Lizzy managed to squeak, now slightly confused.

"Indeed I was. You see, due to certain circumstances entirely out of my control it has been more than five days since we were last in each other's company alone, even for a few minutes, and as all too many of my friends have observed, I do not like to share." he breathed, now frightfully close to Lizzy's slightly trembling body.

 _This is it,_ she thought to herself, _I must tell him._

"I read your message," she blurted out clumsily, and then fell back into silence hoping to gauge his reaction.

At once Fitzwilliam gulped and his face turned pale with trepidation.

 _He's as nervous as I am!_ Lizzy exclaimed silently.

"And," he uttered cautiously, "what did, I mean, how… I hope you understood its meaning."

Suddenly steeling his resolve, he cleared his throat and continued decisively, "Elizabeth, I love you. I love you more than I ever thought I could possibly love a woman, and I have been waiting anxiously, fearfully, for you to tell me whether you could possibly love me in return. Please, I cannot live another day without the knowledge that you will be mine. Ease my suffering, I am begging you. I cannot continue without you, not when you have become my entire life," here his declaration had become so passionate he had to pause to catch his breath. As he gazed into Elizabeth's eyes with an intensity she had never witnessed before, Lizzy saw his own eyes suddenly fill with tears at her silence. Able to bear the tension and Darcy's doubt no longer, she rushed forward, gently grasped his face with both her hands, and brought his lips down to her own.

As soon as the shock of her action passed, Darcy responded greedily and pulled her closer to him as his hands entangled in her hair and she melted into the heat his lips stirred within her. Darcy's hands fell to Elizabeth's waist and he lifted her off the ground while her hands moved first to his shoulders and then intertwined as she wrapped her arms and legs around him without a single thought of propriety. They stayed this way for several moments more, Darcy holding Lizzy against him as tightly as possible, and Lizzy giving slowly surrendering to her passion.

At last, gasping for breath, Darcy turned his attention to her jawline and blazed a trail of burning kisses along its curve. Lizzy could do naught but clutch her arms and legs closer around him and let out a small moan of pleasure, which was instantly followed by a similar sound from her Fitzwilliam's throat.

Darcy knew he could not continue thus for much longer without losing control entirely, and he reluctantly slowed his movements and released the tight hold he had around Lizzy's back.

Slowly the pair separated enough for Lizzy to once again stand before him, although he refused to remove his arms from around her shoulders or give her any chance to step back.

"Would it be too much to assume that you finally return my feelings, my beautiful temptress?" he whispered hoarsely in her ear, placing a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Oh, William," Lizzy sighed happily, and Darcy pulled her roughly against his body once more, kissing her deeply before saying, "No one has ever called me that," he paused, "Only you. It will only ever be you."

"I love you, William," Lizzy finally whispered, just loud enough for the words to wash over his soul in sweet, relieving waves. "I love you more than I could ever have imagined, and I never want to be parted from you."

Lizzy's next words were abruptly cut off as Fitzwilliam once more occupied her lips.

"Elizabeth Bennet," he whispered between kisses, "will… you… marry… me?"

He gave her no chance to reply as the kiss deepened. Lizzy gasped as his tongue slid over her bottom lip, and Darcy pulled away with a look of intense satisfaction.

Panting, she replied, "You have really given me very little choice," and gave her lover a cheeky grin, "so of course I will marry you, William, I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life by your side," she ended with a loud laugh as Darcy spun her through the air.  
"I swear you are making me the happiest man to have ever walked upon the face of the earth, _my_ Lizzy," he said when they had both calmed enough to form intelligible words once more.

"Your message, the lines you marked out in Hamlet, made me realize my love for you. I think I've loved you for far longer than I can remember, I was only too stubborn to realize it. I never want you to doubt my feelings again, William, all my devotion, all my desire, all my love, and passion, belongs to you alone."

Darcy groaned and lowered his lips to hers once more. "Elizabeth, I do not know how I will control myself until our wedding. You will utterly destroy me before then," he growled into her ear, and Lizzy again felt a fire spark inside of her.

She giggled nervously, trying to gain control of her emotions, but failing miserably, "Why, is the great Mr Darcy, Master of Pemberley, admitting to a fault in his character?" she inquired cheekily.

"You know you alone have such an effect on me, Elizabeth, don't play coy," he countered in mock seriousness. "My only true fault is that I despise sharing and you, my dear, are far too alluring for my own health. I shall waste away dancing every dance with you, and escorting you to every dinner and opera with such fervour that I shall become immobile by the age of forty-five, just so no one else has the chance to admire your beauty without me glaring at them from behind," he stated with a chuckle.

"Oh dear, I am to marry a madman, it seems," Lizzy laughed in reply.

"I am only mad when you are around, Elizabeth. You are the best thing to happen to me, and I cannot wait for you to be my wife in every sense of the word."

Realizing her family would be worried about her prolonged absence, Lizzy whispered she would have to return home, but not without first placing a chaste kiss upon his swollen lips. Darcy was incredibly reluctant to let her go but promised that he would be at Longbourn that evening to speak to her father; even if he had to walk through the pitch dark night.

Lizzy's bonnet had fallen haphazardly to the floor at some point and she now pulled it on with a struggle, the dampness making its knots difficult to untie. Eagerly Mr Darcy took over and, after successfully untying the very simple knot which Lizzy could probably have undone herself he placed it on her head and refastened it. With another kiss and a warm embrace, he released her and let her go on her way, not without once again declaring his love to her and almost falling prey to his own impulses once more.

Fitzwilliam watched with admiration and amusement as Lizzy ran wildly back down to Longbourn, her hair flying out into the wind and her nose and lips bright red from the cold and her earlier activities. Her heart felt light as a feather and she could barely contain her excitement as she raced to share her joy with Jane and her aunt.

* * *

To say the two women were ecstatic when Lizzy recounted the appropriate parts of her afternoon meeting would be an immense understatement. Jane squealed and rushed over to hug her sister, and Mrs Gardiner followed soon after saying she always knew Lizzy was destined to find a man who would appreciate her character in its entirety.

After some time spent in discussion, Lizzy decided it would be unfair to Mary to be left out of her confidence when Mary had shared so much of herself with Lizzy already.

Her sister's reaction was more subdued but no less happy, and the four women sat cheerfully discussing the implications of Lizzy's upcoming marriage and all it would entail. She would have to visit London at some point to complete her trousseau, and as Mrs Gardiner had no doubt Mr Bennet would give his consent she extended an open invitation to both Mary and Lizzy to stay with them in Cheapside.

The afternoon passed as quietly as could be managed by the four excited ladies, and by dinner, Lizzy had already pinched herself more than thrice to ensure she was not dreaming. She had never imagined it would be possible to feel this happy, and her mind constantly drifted back to the kisses she'd shared with Fitzwilliam and how his hands had felt running up and down her back and arms. Each of these memories brought about an involuntary shiver of excitement, and Lizzy couldn't help but look forward to sharing such intimate moments with him again.

* * *

Meanwhile at Netherfield, Darcy was in a hazy state himself. He had not expected the day to proceed quite as it just had, but he could not be more pleased. His Elizabeth, his beautiful Lizzy, had agreed to marry him. She had kissed him with complete abandon, and he had been surprised to experience her passion rising and responding to his own without the slightest hesitation. Darcy knew from his friends' stories that very few women showed any sign of such fire within them, society having beaten it out of them from an early age, and he was both excited and nervous to know Lizzy would not shy away from his advances. He would have to be exceedingly careful not to take it too far too soon.

Darcy had arrived in Netherfield's music room grinning like a complete idiot. Georgiana, who had been practicing on the pianoforte, and the colonel, who was reading a letter he received that morning, noticed his expression immediately and, with their curiosity well and truly piqued, plagued him with questions until he finally told them Elizabeth had accepted his proposal.

Georgiana squealed, began crying, and then burst out in laughter as rushed over to her brother and pulled him into a bear hug.

"Oh Fitz, I am so happy! I do so like Lizzy and she is utterly different from the ladies of the ton!" her words tumbled over each other, "Oh I'm finally going to have a sister! I can't believe it! I have to go to Longbourn _now_ to tell Lizzy how happy I am!"

"Slow down, Georgi!" Fitzwilliam chuckled, "I have not even spoken to her father yet.

"You know he will have no reason to refuse, Darcy," Colonel Fitzwilliam chimed in, giving his cousin a slap on the back and offering his congratulations.

"When will you go speak to the man?" Richard asked.

"Tonight. I cannot have anyone think my intentions were anything less than honourable. Elizabeth does not deserve that." Darcy replied seriously.

"Oh Lizzy will have to come to London to have new dresses made!" Georgiana once again chimed in, "We _must_ take her to the theatre, brother, and most certainly Aunt Amelia's ball. It's next month if I am not mistaken."

"I am sure Lizzy would love to discuss all this with, dearest, so why don't we invite her to Netherfield for dinner on Monday. Her sister and the Gardiners are leaving that morning so I am sure she will have time to visit. Do you think you could manage to play hostess for the evening?"

"Of course! And we can't only invite Lizzy you know, we must ask Mary, Kitty, and Lydia to join as well!" Georgi said matter-of-factly.

"Whatever you wish, dear," was Fitzwilliam's only reply.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. They did it, it's done, it's completed, he proposed. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

I was SOOOOOO nervous writing this chapter. I mean, we've all been waiting for this moment for quite some time and it had to be as close to perfect as possible. I hope you are as happy with it as I am!

Darcy's just the perfect mix of passionate and respectful and it's killing me, guys.

So many of the proposal scenes I've read made the two seem almost cold, and mechanical - an endless train of dialogue and pretty speeches. Mr Darcy himself admitted to not being all that outspoken and I think Lizzy kissing him was the perfect response after he had taken the initiative in such moments almost every time throughout the story so far.

And I am SO excited to write about their engagement period, and all the new people all five girls are going to meet! All I can say is there are some very eccentric, some very handsome. and some very, very rich people out in London just waiting for our five beautiful, wild country girls to descend upon them. Well, five beautiful, and four wild. Mary would never forgive me for classifying her as such!

AHHHHHHHH I'm soooo excited!

ALSO!

I'm running a sort of competition/writing challenge - the details will be available in the next chapter, so keep your eyes open.

ALSO!

Mrs B is gonna get a bit of a smackdown in the next chapter so get ready for a little DRAMAAAAAA.

 **Lynned13 -** thank you for your awesome review!

 **Guests -** you guys so often write the coolest, most insightful reviews, and I hate that I can't address you individually. But thank you anyway, from the bottom of my fluffy little heart.

 **DetectiveOfTheOpera -** as always, your reviews rock!

I will now stop writing like a 13 year old who drank too much cola.

Cheerio everyone,

until next time.


	13. Family Ties, and Individual Secrets

That evening after dinner, Elizabeth sat reading quietly in the drawing room as the moon shone brightly through the window in front of her. Her father had recently come into possession of the most fantastical volume in a French book series called _Description de l'Égypte*_ and she could barely tear her eyes away from its pages for a second. The passages speaking of ancient Egyptian art and philosophy fascinated her as much as their descriptions of the country's fashion and treasures. Egypt seemed to be a completely different world, and Lizzy had been entirely absorbed. Her concentration was at its peak that evening as her father was once more finding refuge in his library, and her mother, Jane, Kitty, and Lydia were inspecting dresses that needed alteration for the ball that Tuesday. The Gardiners had retired early, caring for the children having worn them out, and Mary was sequestered in her room writing an essay on some medical condition Lizzy couldn't for the life of her remember the name of.

* * *

Mary had become slightly obsessed with medical science lately and had devoured almost every book on the topic in her father's library after finishing the one Mr Ferrars had loaned her. He had stopped by during the afternoon to thank the sisters for their help that morning and once again brought Mary a new volume discussing human anatomy. They'd sat together for the better part of half an hour quietly discussing her thoughts on the topic when Mr Ferrars had given one look at the clock, exclaimed in dismay, and then profusely apologized for having to leave so abruptly, but he was "scheduled to visit the blacksmith's wife who would soon be having her baby and had had a troubled pregnancy."

Without thinking, the man had leaned over and kissed Mary's cheek as he whispered a goodbye. Kitty immediately gasped and whispered "Mary!" quite loudly, at which the poor doctor's face turned bright scarlet as he realized what he had done. Needless to say, he hurried from the house at record speed. Mary, who had buried her face in her hands at Kitty's joking admonition, now looked up and shyly said, "I am sorry you witnessed Mr Ferrars act so thoughtlessly! I should not have let him take such a liberty, but he had just asked me for two dances at the assembly and I wasn't quite thinking straight."

"Oh don't mind Kitty," Lizzy had chuckled, winking at the cause of Mary's embarrassment, "we were both pleasantly surprised, only she was more vocal with her astonishment than I was with mine," and no more was said on the matter.

* * *

So it came to pass that Lizzy sat comfortably situated with her bare feet tucked beneath her, and _Description_ captivating all her attention. The crackling of the fire lulled her into a trance-like state as she travelled to the mysterious world of Ancient Egypt with its majestic temples, exotic culture, and the breath-taking Nile River. In her imagination, she dined with pharaohs and trekked the land from border to border on a sturdy young camel. She walked through the proud settlements, stood awestruck before the land's great portrayals of art, and beheld the true splendour of the Egyptian civilization. So enthralled was she that their maid had announced Mr Darcy, escorted him to the drawing room, and the man had walked up behind her, all completely without her knowledge.

At first, Mr Darcy seemed reluctant to disturb the scene before him; Elizabeth seemed so at ease leaning on to the couch's armrest, oblivious to his presence, and quite probably the whole world around her. He had been watching her quietly for several minutes when, tiring of his inactivity, he silently slipped behind her chair and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

Startled, Lizzy spun around in her seat. Realizing who it was, though, she smilingly greeted her fiancé, "You do seem to delight in startling me, Fitzwilliam," her cheeky tone was not missed by the man and he leaned down to place a kiss on her lips before answering, "I did not wish to disturb your peace until absolutely necessary, dearest."

"Which is why you decided to scare me instead?" Lizzy countered with an impertinent grin and an arched brow.

"I would never dream of doing such a thing, madam!" he cried in mock horror.

"I am getting rather weary of all your excuses, nevertheless you shan't be punished," she said with a giggle, then adding as an afterthought, "this time."

Darcy couldn't help himself and he leaned over once more to capture her lips with his own.

"I desperately need to speak with your father, Elizabeth," he whispered when she drew back her head.

"He's in the library waiting for you," was her only reply as she licked her lips, causing Darcy to curse propriety once more.

Fitzwilliam, at last, stood, straightened his clothes, and with a slight twitch of a curl falling along Lizzy's neck he walked out into the hallway towards the library.

* * *

As soon as he had disappeared, Lizzy arose and headed to the rooms upstairs. She had decided this would be the best time to speak to her mother and younger sisters, hoping the hullaballoo would die down by the time her father had finished what he had called 'interrogating' her Mr Darcy.

With some hesitance she made her way to where Jane was helping Kitty once more strip a dress of its ribbons, adding chains of small beads instead.

"Mama, Kitty, Lydia," Lizzy said as she walked into the room, "I have something to share with you."

Her mother didn't seem to hear her at all and continued arguing with Lydia over the best colour of lace to put on a magenta dress.

"Mama," Lizzy tried again, and no reply came. "MAMA!" she at last almost yelled in frustration.

"What is it, child?" came her mother's annoyed reply.

"I need to tell you something important."

"Well, out with it then," Mrs Bennet sighed.

"Early this afternoon Mr Darcy asked me to marry him and I have consented."

The room grew still enough to hear a pin drop, and then suddenly there was pandemonium.

Kitty and Lydia's congratulations were drowned out by Mrs Bennet's raptures of joy, "My dear child, I always knew you would save us from the hedgerows! Oh, ten thousand a year, and a grand estate in Derbyshire! What pin-money you shall have! What balls you shall be invited to!" the woman nearly turned blue as she forgot to breathe. "Oh and my dear Jane and Lydia will meet so many rich men! Good heavens, my heart, I cannot believe it! Are you sure Mr Darcy asked for your hand?!" Jane and Lizzy were now seriously concerned for their mother's wellbeing. The lady seemed insensible to anything but wedding plans, pin money, and carriages.

"Oh dear, what a wedding I will have to plan! Five courses at least, and all the flowers! And your trousseau! I will have to speak to Marianne about us visiting them in London!"

Elizabeth quietly let her mother exclaim, cry, and laugh to her heart's content. Her performance lasted far longer than Lizzy had bargained for, but finally, the effusions died down to only two or three a minute. Lizzy informed the room that Mr Darcy was in the library at the moment, speaking to Mr Bennet, and also begged them not to tell anyone of their engagement until Mr Bennet could make an official announcement, and one could be printed in the papers. She doubted her mother's ability to keep a secret but had to hope for the best regardless of her trustworthiness.

As Lizzy sat quietly listening to her sisters discuss all the tasks that would have to be completed before the wedding she noticed Lydia seemed quieter than usual. Enquiring as to the reason behind her apparent melancholy only met with a dismissal of her concerns and a thoughtful smile, so she desisted from her probing.

* * *

In truth, Lydia was once again disappointed. She had been sure she would be the one to save her family, and now Lizzy had gone and done it before she even had the chance to try.

Would this setback prevent her from marrying strategically? _Never!_

Did it, however, give her time to devise a more efficient plan, and the opportunity to achieve a far better outcome? _Absolutely._

Lydia realized she now had the freedom to enhance her skills, and harness every last art of manipulation she possessed. Mr Bingley was far too small a conquest, although he could serve as a means to an end. She would settle for nothing less than an earl, _no, a marquess! Who knows, I might even beguile the Prince Regent himself, and that would come with a handsome reward!_ she laughed at her blatant ambition and the impossibility of such a feat, but the idea didn't leave her thoughts for quite some time - the marquess idea of course; Lydia was ambitious but not stupid enough to think a royal would ever take interest in her.

Finally, she had the opportunity to take her fate into her own hands and take it she would, no matter the cost. No one would come between her and her quest for status and wealth. Like a naïve child she had believed Denny loved her, and afterward she had trusted Wickham, but both had apparently only used her for their own selfish desires and plans. Lydia was sick of men toying with women and discarding them once they got what they wanted. _If they can do it, then why can't I?_ she thought quietly. Her heart had been broken when she saw Denny with another girl behind the bookshop in town, and it had completely shattered when she learned of Wickham's crimes and deceit.

She would never be taken in like that again. _I'll make sure such men get a taste of their own medicine,_ she promised, and with that joined into the conversation once more.

Lydia would never again be anyone's fool.

* * *

After several more minutes filled with talk of veils and flowers, lace and wedding breakfasts, Lizzy slipped out of the room, leaving her mother and sisters completely absorbed in their plans for _her_ wedding.

Fitzwilliam was waiting back in the drawing room with a smile on his face.

* * *

He had not smiled quite so brightly at first. Mr Bennet had looked worrisomely solemn when he entered the library and nervously greeted the wise-looking old man comfortably seated behind his desk.

"Well, Mr Darcy, I see you waste no time in stealing the one thing I treasure most in this world," he said bluntly.

Mr Darcy blanched. "I, well… sir," he stammered as he fell into the seat offered to him. Poor Mr Bennet had to cough hysterically to hide his laughter.

"Do please get to the point I am sure you were planning to address most eloquently," Henry Bennet was enjoying himself far more than he had hoped to.

"I, uh," Darcy began once more and then stopped as if suddenly realizing the ridiculousness of his behaviour. He had nothing to be embarrassed or anxious about, so why the devil was he acting like a twelve-year-old who had been caught stealing biscuits from the kitchen? He was Fitzwilliam Darcy, Master of Pemberley! He feared no man and was respected by all. If Georgiana or Elizabeth saw him now he would never hear the end of it. _Or Richard, thank heavens he is not here, else I would never live this down._

Straightening in his seat, he began to speak once more, "Mr Bennet, you know I love your daughter with all my heart, and because of this love, I asked her this very afternoon to marry me. She consented and I am here only to ask your blessing, sir, and to promise that Elizabeth will never want for anything in her life. I will worship the very ground she walks on for as long as I live."

"Well, well; very eloquently said Mr Darcy, very eloquent indeed!" Mr Bennet chuckled. "However, how am I to be sure you will provide my Lizzy with the lifestyle she is accustomed to having?" Mr Bennet knew very well the man before him was worth at least five times as much as he, but he couldn't surrender his entertainment so soon.

Darcy, needless to say, was intensely puzzled at Mr Bennet's apparent ignorance. "Sir, I assure you, my estates bring in well above the rumoured ten thousand pounds, but I can have my lawyer send through the settlement papers I asked him to begin compiling more than two weeks ago," he proposed.

"No need, Mr Darcy, as I am quite sure you will be able to care for Lizzy far better than I where money is concerned, I was merely having some fun at your expense," said Mr Bennet with a twinkle in his eye. Under any other circumstances, Mr Darcy would have been offended but the man before him looked so utterly amused he couldn't help but join in the laughter that followed with a small chuckle of his own.

Mr Bennet eventually continued, "I am, however, curious to know why your lawyer was instructed to draw up settlement papers weeks before you even asked Lizzy to marry you."

This was a simple question to answer, and Mr Darcy did so confidently, "Sir, I never had any other intention towards your daughter apart from earning her hand in marriage. If things had not gone as they did, I would have spent the rest of my life striving to be worthy of her. As soon as my mind was made up I wrote to my lawyer, so that I may be prepared at any time to ask Elizabeth to marry me, and thereafter obtain your consent."

"I see you thought this all through thoroughly," Mr Bennet said with a smile, "and I could never have parted from my Lizzy for anyone less worthy. I hope you know what an intelligent, kind, and utterly extraordinary woman you are engaged to."

"Sir, I know it all too well," Darcy replied earnestly.

"Then you have my blessing. All I ask is that you protect her from the vileness of the ton, she has no need to be anything other than the woman she is now," Mr Bennet said solemnly.

"Of course, sir. I wouldn't have her be anything but the Elizabeth I fell in love with."

Mr Bennet looked thoughtful but finally spoke once again, "I suppose I will have to make the announcement. Would it suit you if I did so at Tuesday's ball? That ought to give you enough time to have an announcement written in the papers as well."

"I am sure Lizzy will agree, but I suggest you talk to her just to be sure," the young man replied, while Mr Bennet looked pleased with his answer. "And, sir, as we are to be family please call me Darcy or Fitzwilliam, whichever you find more comfortable," he added.

"Very well, and feel free to call me Henry," Mr Bennet said, growing rather tired of the formalities and civilities of the conversation.

"As you are Elizabeth's father, I don't think I could address you with such little respect for your position, sir, but thank you nonetheless," said Darcy as he stood and offered his hand to the man sitting opposite to him.

"Goodnight, Darcy," was Mr Bennet's only reply as he firmly shook the hand offered to him.

As the young man left the library, Henry Bennet couldn't help but contemplate the happiness he was sure the union would bring. He had always respected Mr Darcy, but now he had to admit he was growing to like him quite a bit as well. At last he would be able to have some sensible conversation with someone other than one of his three eldest daughters.

* * *

Now, Darcy stood with his back to the fire as Lizzy stepped into the drawing room. His smile told her all was well, so she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his torso with a content sigh.

"Your father has given us his blessing, my love," Darcy said, trying out a new term of endearment on his very opinionated fiancé. She would certainly have something to say about any such terms she didn't like.

"Hmm," was her only reply as she buried her face in his chest once more and inhaled deeply.

"Elizabeth, have I ever told you that you are an incredibly disconcerting influence?" Darcy whispered in a deep voice.

"I seem to remember something of the like," came her lazy reply.

"Well –" Darcy was just about to continue, when a commotion was heard on the stairs and their peace was no more. Mrs Bennet's heavy footsteps were rushing down the stairs and Lizzy quickly released her hold on Fitzwilliam and stepped away.

"Lizzy! Lizzy! Is Mr Dar- OH! Mr Darcy, how lovely to see you are still here!" her mother shouted as she rushed into the drawing room.

"And may I offer my sincerest congratulations! I always knew you and Lizzy would get married, you both are so peculiar in nature!" the woman exclaimed. Mr Darcy was suddenly intensely uncomfortable, and exercised all the willpower he had not to put the woman in her place. _It's most certainly Lizzy and I that have the peculiar nature, isn't it? Not you at all!_ he mused sarcastically.

"Oh, I have just been talking with Lydia about all the preparations! Of course you will want to be married as soon as possible! Perhaps even before the season begins so that Lydia and Jane may make the most of the year while visiting you in London!" Lizzy cringed as her mother began her uninterruptable tirade once again. She had so hoped to shield Fitzwilliam from all this.

"I will have to go tell Mrs Phillips about this as soon as may be, and of course the vicar will have to be informed. Oh and we will have to travel to London as soon as possible to have your dress made, and trousseau completed, one can never begin to soon with these things, you know!"

Here Lizzy tried to cut in, "Mam-" she said, but was interrupted almost immediately.

"Oh and the flowers of course! Nothing but the best, I hope. And your sisters will have to have new dresses too, you know. You cannot be the only one benefitting from this wedding. And as for the date, well, why not near the end of January? It is such a lovely month for a wedding and then you will have more than enough time to prepare for the season in London! Oh my girls will be so grand! Yes, yes, the end of January would be perfect! Perhaps the 27th? Or the 28th?"

" **MRS BENNET!** " Darcy's voice boomed. He had reached the limit of his tolerance for such silliness.

"Elizabeth and I have not yet decided when or where we are to marry, and I would greatly appreciate it if you would cease this incessant rambling and give your daughter the respect she deserves," he spat, trying his utmost best not to lose his temper entirely. "We may marry at Longbourn, or we may marry at Pemberley. We may have a short engagement, or we may have a long one. Frankly, you have no right to dictate your commands for us to meekly obey. Your daughter **will** be the next Mrs Darcy and I will not have you treat her like a child when she is quite obviously a brilliantly capable woman."

This time Lizzy did not hide her face in embarrassment or try to console her mother. She stood tall and proud next to Fitzwilliam, her one hand held tightly in his own, and showed him the support he deserved as her future husband. From now on they would be a united front in everything they did, and no one would come between them, not even her own family.

Mrs Bennet's mouth hung open in shock and embarrassment as Mr Darcy continued, "Furthermore, it will be Elizabeth's choice, _and only her's_ , to make regarding whether, and when, her sisters are invited to London or any of my other properties. **She** will be mistress of all my possessions and be equal with me in all our decisions and responsibilities, so I will not have you ignore her, or bypass her opinion, ever again. Are we in agreement?"

For the first time in her life Fanny Bennet could make no reply. Her mouth felt dry, and she was close to having yet another fit of frustration and anger. At last she only gulped loudly and nodded.

"Very good. I apologize for my harsh tone, but I will no longer have Elizabeth disrespected by her own mother. I hope you can realize your mistakes, ma'am, and correct them before the wedding. I would hate to have my bride unhappy on her wedding day because her mother couldn't be supportive of her choices," and with a smile at Elizabeth, and a squeeze of her hand, he added, "she did choose me, after all."

Nothing further was said as Mrs Bennet's face suddenly turned very red and she collapsed onto a chair, mumbling quietly about the "injustice of it all."

Mr Darcy gave a quick bow in her direction, more out of habit than anything else, and exited the room pulling Elizabeth along after him. He led her outside without a word.

* * *

Finally, standing beneath the night sky as the moonlight cast an eerie glow on their surroundings Darcy pulled Lizzy closer and ran his hand gently down her cheek.

"I hope you are not angry with me for the way I spoke to your mother, Elizabeth," he said thoughtfully, "I just cannot watch her treat you like anything less than the wonderful woman you are."

Desperate to allay his fears, Elizabeth stood on her tiptoes and planted a sweet kiss on his lips.

"William, I could never be angry with you for standing up for me. My mother needs to understand that from now on my loyalty lies with you, and that we make decisions as one. I will not have anyone come between us, especially not her, no matter my love for her or any member of my family," she whispered, intertwining her hands with his and planting a kiss on both.

His conscience eased, Darcy now tried to lead the conversation down happier paths, although Lizzy's words still rang through his head and made his heart feel warm.

"Georgiana has instructed me to invite you and your sisters to dinner on Monday evening," he said with a small smile, "she has grown quite demanding lately and I am sure you have something to do with it."

"Well I would be delighted to accept, and I am sure my sisters would love to come so I will do so on their behalf as well," she replied with a smile matching his own.

"Excellent. I hope you do not mind that I told her and Richard of our engagement. I'm afraid I was in such a delirious state when I arrived home they both immediately sensed something had happened and didn't rest until I admitted it all."

Arching her brow playfully, Lizzy teased, "I hope you didn't truly admit **it ALL,** or I may not be able to face your sister or cousin for quite some time!"

"I assure you, my beautiful Lizzy, I am excellent at keeping secrets. Georgi and Richard heard only what was appropriate. In any case, I was in such a daze after our afternoon activities that I forgot most of what occurred other than your acceptance of my proposal, and my ecstatic joy thereafter. I'm afraid you'll have to remind me of all the particulars of our meeting or I may be terribly disadvantaged in future conversations," he said as he leant dangerously close and twisted the curl that had caught his attention earlier around his finger.

Each time his fingertip grazed Lizzy's neck she shivered. What came next, however, made her knees buckle once more. As quickly as can be imagined, Darcy lowered his head and placed a long, burning kiss on her neck, right beneath the spot that cheeky escaped curl had rested upon. Lizzy felt a spark of pleasure run down her spine and reveled in the feeling until, with the lightest flick of Darcy's tongue against her skin, was compelled to desperately hold on to Fitzwilliam's arms as she attempted to steady herself.

"William, I hope you know I **will** have revenge for this," she whispered once she regained the ability to stand on her own.

"I have no doubt you will, my love, but I fear I will enjoy it far more than you would like me to," he whispered as he placed another kiss on her cheek and bid her goodnight.

Lizzy watched him climb into the waiting carriage and waved as it sped down the drive.

 _You seem to enjoy destroying my composure, don't you William? Well two can play that game, dear,_ she thought with a sly grin as she walked back inside and made her way to her room, her mother forgotten for the remainder of the night.

* * *

 **A/N:** Well guys, here you go with a longer-than-usual chapter!

What did you think of Mrs B being put in her place once more? Do you think she will take Darcy's words to heart and try to rebuild her relationship with Lizzy? Or will she continue being her annoying self?

And how about Lydia? I am honestly so excited for the direction I'm taking her in that I definitely plan on writing her story separately.

Mary also has big things ahead, far bigger than marriage, though Mr Ferrars won't dally about much longer without making his intentions clear as day.

I am also looking forward to our dear Lizzy and Darcy turning disconcerting each other into a game of sorts. It should be rather fun to write and read!

Anyhow, I wrote about a writing challenge in the last chapter's note.

* * *

This is my challenge to all of you:

Since the Bennet sisters will all soon be spending far more time in London than before, they will obviously be meeting many, many new people, and the possibilities these new characters will provide are endless.

The challenge is for you to create a character the girls, or just one of them, will meet while enjoying all the ton has to offer. Your character could be a villain, a lovely person, a man, or a woman. He/she can be old/young, rich/poor, basically anything you would like him/her to be. In addition, you can request/describe any specific interactions your character should have with our dear girls and their suitors.

That way YOU get to influence the story as well!

I will choose 1-3 of the best characters and write them into the story, while mentioning that the character belongs to YOU alone, and that way the story becomes just slightly more interactive.

You can send you character ideas to me over private message, using a format similar to this:

Character Name:

Age:

Place of Residence:

Appearance:

Important Aspects (wealth, connections, personality traits, etc):

Proposed Interactions with Character:

Name to be mentioned as owner of said character:

I'd love to see the quirkiest, most unusual, or most intriguing characters you could come up with, and feel free to submit more than one. The characters I have chosen will be announced before the first chapter of our girls being in London.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

Sammy


	14. The Colonel Takes the Stage

Early Saturday morning the Netherfield party received a rather last-minute invitation to dine that evening at Longbourn. As the family would be attending church the next day and the Gardiners and Jane would be leaving on Monday, it was decided they would have a farewell dinner two days in advance.

The young Gardiners had miraculously recovered the moment they were told of the snow outside and so the majority of their day was spent outdoors in the company of their cousins. Snowball fights ensued, forts were built, and all ten (for Mrs Gardiner had joined in the fun with childish glee) were decidedly red nosed and glowing with the exercise and cold air.

Eventually tiring of dodging icy missiles, yet still unwilling to return indoors, Kitty wandered some distance from the battlefield. Her strolling brought her to a large, perfectly untouched clearing of snow and she paused for a moment, an idea forming. Suddenly running home at breakneck speed, she hurriedly collected her old, dried out containers of paint that ought to have been discarded months ago but somehow were always forgotten. With a quick visit to the kitchen where, under Cook's amused supervision, she poured hot water into each container until the dry paint in each bowl dissolved into a watery dye, she returned once more to the clearing, tray and paintbrush in hand. Dropping onto her hands and knees she set to work sculpting the snow, paying no mind to the increasing disarray of her clothing or the damp patches around her knees as she scooped and patted, smoothed and poked at her snowy canvas. This alone took her slightly more than an hour, and by the time she had finished the rest of the Bennets and Gardiners had already returned home, quite certain Kitty had run off to visit Maria Lucas as usual. At last, satisfied with the appearance of her snow structure, she stood and turned to the tray of watery paint. It had cooled enough for her to handle without gloves and so, stripping her hands of their furry confinement and, making prodigious use of both her hands and her paintbrush, she went to work in a creative frenzy. Blue and black paint was strewn across the snow, freezing instantly as it came in contact with the cold surface. Green, red, brown, yellow, and again blue followed in rapid succession as Kitty hummed a cheerful melody, feeling quite giddy at the way her idea was coming to life. After nearly another hour of painting, scraping, and then painting once more, her masterpiece was complete.

Giggling at the state of her stained hands she stood back, scrutinizing her handiwork with a discerning eye and adjusting bits of it as she saw fit.

Finally, happy with the outcome, she quietly admired the structure before her. There, in the middle of the brilliantly white patch of snow stood an exact replica of Longbourn at a fraction of its size. Reaching about as high as her hips, the house was rendered in exceptional detail although, Kitty being Kitty, she had given in to her fancies and turned the ground around it into a beautiful rendition of the night sky. Longbourn seemed to be floating through the stars and the effect was hypnotizing.

Not wishing to have her creation unnoticed she called out to her earlier companions, "Aunt! Jane!" cried she. When no reply came after several more attempts she scurried to collect her supplies and gloves, being careful not to stain them with the paint now almost dry on her hands and ran home. Ridding herself of the now-empty bowls, and dropping the tray off in the kitchen, she hurried to the drawing room where she was sure her mother would be sitting, probably complaining about her daughters' reckless behaviour as they frolicked through the snow.

"Mama!" she called as she burst through the door, turning swiftly as she attempted to shut it with her elbows, her hands still not washed. Frankly, Kitty rather liked the colourful patterns the paint had made, and she felt a devilish urge to recreate the effect on an old pair of gloves.

"Mama, have you seen Jane or Li-" she stopped short. Assembled with the majority of her family in the drawing room were none other than Mr and Miss Darcy and, more importantly, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Kitty's face reddened.

Remembering her manners as she felt each pair of eyes in the room trained upon her person she dropped a quick curtsey and attempted to apologize for the state of her appearance and her loud yelling.

Poor Kitty couldn't help but notice her mother looked just about fuming. Lizzy was trying desperately, and failing miserably mind you, not to laugh which only prompted Kitty to dissolve into a fit of giggles at the ridiculousness of it all. Unfortunately for the amused girls, their efforts were suddenly nullified when Emma shrieked in delight at the sight of her cousin's hands as she tried desperately to hide them behind the folds in her dress.

"Oh! Your hands look like you caught a rainbow!" the little girl rushed forward to examine them further.

To Kitty's dismay, and then suddenly pleasure, the colonel walked up to her as well. Bowing first, he bent down to near eye-level with Emma and said in an amused voice, "I quite agree, Miss Emma, her hands look precisely as a gifted artist's should!"

"Oh, but then I also want to be an artist!" the little girl squealed as Kitty blushed lightly.

"Can I? Please, can I be an artist, mama?" Emma's pleading continued as she ran over to her mother with a beseeching look on her face.

The rest of the conversation was lost to Kitty's ears as her focus returned to the colonel who was asking a question, although it seemed as if he was addressing the room in general.

"…all like to see what you have been working on so vigorously, won't we?" she caught the last part of his sentence. Lizzy, Jane, her aunt, and the Darcy's eagerly agreed. The Gardiner children immediately said they would like to see it too, more in an attempt to be included in the adults' conversation than because of a desire to actually look at art. Mary, and Lydia claimed fatigue, and Mrs Bennet protested that she would catch a death of a cold if she left the house now. Mr Gardiner and Mr Bennet were nowhere to be seen.

After embarrassedly explaining her newest creation was to be found outdoors and then running off for a moment to wash her hands, Kitty returned with her dress in a much better state, and her hair tucked into her bonnet once more. The company all stepped outside and followed the young woman along a back path leading to a patch of trees. It was barely two minutes' walk when they came upon her sculpture. Everyone but Kitty exclaimed in admiration.

The house looked exactly like Longbourn, if Longbourn had been written into a fairytale. Splashes of pale colour, contrasting with the white snow, made the building itself look utterly ethereal and the dark, intense blue around it, dotted with white specks and a sprinkling of snow for stars, made the scene appear magical.

"Oh! It's beautiful, Kitty!" Dorothy exclaimed, and Louis nodded earnestly in agreement. Emma was absolutely delighted and had to be restrained from rushing over to the little house by her mother.

Soon each of members of the group chimed in with their praise as they admired first its likeness to Longbourn, and then each of the minute details that brought it to life.

"I've never seen something quite as quaint, dear!" Mrs Gardiner said with a smile as she circled the structure.

"I must say, Catherine, it is one of the most creative pieces I have ever seen!" Georgiana enthusiastically added and Kitty smiled shyly, suddenly overwhelmed by the praise and attention. No one had ever taken such interest in her drawings and paintings until the colonel had quite nearly forced them all out of the house to see this project. The man himself currently stood a little way off, a look of open admiration displayed on his visage, although at that moment his eyes were trained directly on Kitty and not the magical house, as would have been expected. She gave him a bright smile in thanks and blushed prettily when he winked in return.

After several more minutes, and numerous comments and compliments, the group had to return but not without Lizzy and Jane mentioning how sad they would be when the snow melted and took the little house with it.

Hurrying back indoors they were all pleased to find Mary had arranged for tea and biscuits to be served and the young people, for Mrs Bennet had left to discuss the last arrangements for that evening's meal with Cook, made a very merry group as the children animatedly recounted all the particulars of the little house to Mary and Lydia.

Colonel Fitzwilliam now sat comfortably next to Kitty, having taken his seat mere seconds after she had taken hers. "I'm exceedingly pleased you ran into the room earlier, Miss Catherine," the man said with a smile, "I've felt the absence of a kindred, mischievous spirit most acutely these past few days."

Kitty seemed pleased as she replied, "That, sir, is your fault entirely! I have been here at Longbourn every day this past week. You need only to have made the short journey with Mr Darcy or Georgiana and found company aplenty."

"I shall hold you to that statement!" was his chuckling reply, although beneath his cheery façade the colonel felt deeply troubled.

The man realized sadly that he was falling for the enigmatic, lively woman beside him far too quickly. He was only the second son of an earl, and his brother stood to inherit the majority of his father's wealth and estates. He was in no position to marry where there was no fortune to be obtained, and the knowledge that he would soon have to leave Miss Catherine behind was crushing his spirit excruciatingly slowly.

His duty towards the crown and his country would shortly be calling him back to London, to proceed onwards to battle. Although he silently lamented the fact that he was being forced to disregard his feelings, he could never bring himself to regret the choice he had made to fight. _Perhaps if I explain all this to her she would understand. We would be free to enjoy each other's company without any misplaced expectations,_ he mused. _Yes , I suppose that is as fine an idea as any._

Feeling only slightly relieved at his decision, he turned to his fair companion and, with as cheerful a smile as he could muster, requested she save two dances at the upcoming assembly for him, adding he would be "exceedingly pleased if one were to be the supper set."

He would talk to her then or possibly earlier if he had the chance, and try to explain the situation. Telling her they could only ever remain friends would destroy him, but it was a necessary heartache to bear. Eventually, he would leave Hertfordshire and forget all about the mischievous young woman he was now utterly enamoured with. He _hoped_ he would be able to forget, although his heart seemed to be in strong disagreement.

* * *

Across the room, around a rather small table sat Jane, Georgiana, Elizabeth, and Darcy; the four were cheerfully discussing Jane's plans in London while Georgi made recommendation after recommendation of plays to see, and libraries to visit. Jane had not been to London in several years, nearly three to be precise, and she was eager to rediscover the city and all the entertainment it offered. Eager to please her soon-to-be sisters, Georgiana wasted no time insisting Jane visit her aunt, the Countess of Matlock. In a sudden fit of horrified shyness, Jane replied she "could never expect to be invited to the home of an earl!" At which the young girl, whose confidence had been growing consistently since the day she arrived, exclaimed in an unusually insistent tone, "Oh pish-posh, my aunt would be delighted to meet you! Once Fitzwilliam and Lizzy marry you will practically be family in any case, and I can assure you it will please Aunt Amelia greatly to have a few women other than the 'preening, feathery monstrosities of the ton', as she calls them, to keep her company."

Lizzy burst into laughter at that, and Jane finally acquiesced with a rather scandalized look, having never imagined that a countess could dislike the airs and graces of society as Lizzy seemed to. She would not refuse, Jane was made to promise, if an invitation was actually extended.

Thus encouraged by her success, Georgiana prattled off a list of names of the people she thought Jane might enjoy meeting, noting their eccentricities and personality traits to her intrigued conversation partner as she went. She now had Jane's full attention.

* * *

Mr Darcy, seeing his sister and Miss Bennet fully engaged in conversation, turned to his fiancé with a smile.

"I have to admit, my lovely Elizabeth, that your sister Miss Catherine is incredibly talented," he said, with a quick glance in the artist in question's direction.

"I have known it for but a short time," Lizzy replied as she followed Fitzwilliam's gaze, "she is an incredibly mischievous girl and has countless eccentricities which seem to fuel her creativity. Recently I wonder if her ability to see humour in nearly everything doesn't perhaps correlate with her ability to see art and beauty in even the most mundane objects."

Mr Darcy, having grown to view both Kitty and Mary though unfortunately not Lydia, as more than he first believed them to be, felt compelled to offer his help for his future sisters. He would begin with Miss Catherine and sincerely hoped Elizabeth would not take his offer of assistance as an insult to her sisters' upbringing.

"Elizabeth, I have a suggestion to make," he said with a hint of caution in his voice, "I have spent many years in London, and have a far more intimate knowledge of art than I may have let on before. My mother adored all forms of creative expression and was both patron and adviser to the many young, struggling artists of the city."

It pleased Elizabeth immensely to at last be learning more about her future husband's family, so she smiled encouragingly and continued to listen.

"I met many of my mother's peers as a young boy, and she loved hosting events and meetings for painters and sculptors in our home in London as a way to have the respected, famous artists mingle with the lesser, or entirely unknown, ones who showed great promise. The reason I am telling you this is because I have watched your sister's progress just this past month and, although far from perfect, I can confidently say I have never seen anything quite like the style with which she expresses herself."

Lizzy smiled, and earnestly replied, "Well, Fitzwilliam, I suggest you tell _her_ this, as I am sure she would be overjoyed to receive praise from someone she both fears and respects as much as you."

"I will most definitely mention this conversation to her, should the opportunity arise," Darcy continued, "but that is not all I wish to say. I know you will soon be traveling to London in order to complete our wedding preparations but could I perhaps suggest that you bring Miss Catherine along?"

Lizzy seemed surprised at Darcy's request, but not at all displeased.

The man proceeded, "One of my mother's dearest friends, Lady Rosalind Abernathy, Marchioness of Hundley, is married to a rather eccentric, kind-hearted old man known almost exclusively as Lord Edmund. The Marquis is himself a veritable creative genius and is incredibly well known all over the ton as one of the best painters of our time. He also possesses strong ties to the Royal Academy, of which he is an honorary member. When you visit London, I would like to introduce Kitty to Lord and Lady Hundley and perhaps also hire a master for her so she may develop her talent. The old couple would be delighted with her, and I believe with the right encouragement and training your sister could reach great heights. I could even arrange for her to stay with Georgi in London when you and I return to Hertfordshire so she would not have her training interrupted."

His plan laid out he awaited Elizabeth's response.

"Oh, Fitzwilliam!" she exclaimed in delight, "I am sure Kitty will be ecstatic when she hears of this! Of course, I will happily bring her with me, although I am quite certain Lydia will insist on coming too, but no matter, I am sure Kitty will be so thrilled she'll barely notice her sister's presence. I shall only have to speak to my father first, before informing her of your offer."

Darcy gave a rare smile, rare only because it was more than a mere upturning of his lips. He had a few more things to discuss with Lizzy and, as Jane and Georgiana had moved to play with the children, they could do so in relative privacy.

"There are two more things we need to discuss, my love," Darcy said tenderly.

"Oh really?" came Lizzy's cheeky response, "I shall soon have to ask you to write down your agenda for each of our meetings on paper, shan't I?"

"I would happily do so if it pleased you," Darcy replied in an equally teasing tone, "but for now I need your opinion on two things; the date, and the venue of our wedding."

Pausing for a moment he gazed deeply into Elizabeth's eyes, all his longing made plain in that of his own, and just as she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks he continued; "The venue will be entirely up to you. I will be content whether we are wed at Pemberley, Longbourn, or, heaven forbid, Scotland if the need arises as long as I have you by my side for the rest of my life. The only input I do have is concerning the date."

Here Darcy cleared his throat before continuing as careful to not hurt his beloved's feelings as he could be, "There is nothing I want more than to marry you within the next week, you know how valiantly I struggle against my own impulses while we are together, but I fear that if we were to be married so soon after the announcements were made, the ton will believe our marriage is based on malicious or irresponsible actions, and not the deep, abiding love its foundations truly are. Not only that, but Richard will be leaving to join his regiment within the next fortnight and remain with them for, at most, three months. It would be a great joy to have my cousin stand up with me on the day we are married and, though I know this is a lot to ask, it is why I want to know if you are at all willing to have a slightly longer-than-ideal engagement."

At first, Elizabeth had wished to protest. She did not care what society thought of her, or her marriage to William, but as he spoke she realized any scandal surrounding their union would likely spill over into Georgiana, and her sisters' social standing. What sealed her consent for a longer engagement, however, was the forlorn look on her betrothed's face as he expressed his desire to have the colonel at his wedding. Darcy had been left without any family at a young age, and she could only imagine how deep the bond between the two cousins ran. She could not, would not, deny him anything. Not when he had already given up so much for her. Besides, she still had to visit Charlotte and it would be a rather awkward, if not impossible, task to accomplish if she were to be married before then.

At last she made her reply, "I cannot deny you anything, William, nor do I wish to. I realize that our marriage must be unshakeable in the eyes of London society, and I know how much your cousin means to you, so I will happily wait. I would wait years for you if the need arose."

Mr Darcy leaned dangerously close to her face once more and whispered, "Do not fret, Lizzy, I am sure I will be sent to Bedlam if we do not marry before the beginning of summer. I am a strong man, but I admit freely that not even I am strong enough to resist you for much longer than that."

This time, instead of blushing, Lizzy decided she would exact preliminary revenge for Darcy ruining her composure so thoroughly the day before. Harnessing the tension that had already been built through their proximity and the implication of Darcy's words, she gazed at him with growing intensity and he dared not look away, utterly spellbound. Lowering her lashes only slightly, she teasingly bit her lower lip as she gave him as seductive a smile as she could manage, and watched gleefully as Darcy's brows raised a fraction of an inch. Tracing her finger along his outstretched palm resting on the table effectively sent the poor man over the edge, and he proceeded to bury his face in his hands with a deep groan.

"Why are you doing this to me, minx?" he whispered when he, at last, felt able to lift his head and gaze upon her face.

"You know very well I swore revenge after yesterday's unfair ruination of my ability to stand on my own two feet. I believe your willpower shall grow stronger as our engagement progresses, my love, as I am only getting started," the satisfied smirk on Lizzy's face only threw Mr Darcy's equilibrium off even farther, and he desperately whispered his reply; "Do not test me, Lizzy, or you may find yourself at Gretna Green posthaste."

Lizzy could do naught but giggle at his desperation, and Mr Darcy suddenly wished the room was empty so he could show her exactly why she should not toy with his self-control. Alas, Mary ventured over to their table and their relative privacy was no more for the remainder of the day.

* * *

Dinner was once more a cheerful affair, though nowhere near as lavish as that of Christmas Eve. The children joined the adults at the table this time, and Georgiana and Kitty had their hands full trying to maintain a semblance of order on their end. The colonel, sadly, had been sandwiched between Mary and Mr Bennet and had to endure 'far too intellectual' conversation, as he later put it, though Mr Bennet proved more eccentric than he had first imagined. The man seemed to adore a good joke more than any fine wine, and at least that was one thing they could agree on.

Conversation remained loud and cheerful throughout the night, with Mrs Gardiner effectively acting as a buffer between Mrs Bennet and their guests. After dinner, Colonel Fitzwilliam asked Kitty if she would show him more of her drawings and a good half an hour was spent admiring each of them as they were laid out on a side table. The colonel had never found himself proactively pursuing a more intimate knowledge of any woman's likes and dislikes, opinions or dreams, yet he spent the better part of two hours doing little more than listen to the woman sitting beside him talk of precisely that. With each revelation, he felt the struggle to overcome his attraction grow more and more difficult. _How in the world am I expected to leave her? To forget?_ he silently cried. Duty and the lifelong belief that he would remain a bachelor were both becoming more and more difficult to remain loyal to.

* * *

At last, with Georgi and Lydia completing one final duet, the company parted. With many sincere well-wishes and hearty handshakes, the Gardiners were bid farewell, Darcy promising to visit Edward soon to discuss business. Each of the children also had their hands shook affectionately, and then promptly herded back into the house by their nursemaid.

That evening Mr Darcy could not do much more than grasp Elizabeth's hand in his own, and kiss it as he whispered goodnight. His lips remained upon her gloveless hand far longer than appropriate and eventually even Mr Bennet had to cough disapprovingly in between his chuckling at such an intense portrayal of young love. Yes, Mr Bennet was an unusual man indeed.

What none but two members of the group knew as they parted was that Lizzy's hand had not been empty when Darcy bid her goodnight. As the man in question turned towards his carriage he snuck a peek at the soft material in his hand and saw the initials E.B. elegantly embroidered in a corner of the delicate lace. His face burst into a cheek-splitting smile.

Lizzy had given him one of her favourite handkerchiefs, and dear Mr Darcy was delighted.

Her distinct scent, of rosewater and honey and just a whisper of citrus, still lingered on the material and he had difficulty restraining himself from holding the cloth to his nose throughout the ride back home.

In a rather rare fit of intense sentimentality, and although he would vehemently deny it, were he to be asked, Fitzwilliam Darcy fell asleep that night with the seemingly innocuous piece of cloth spread across the pillow on which he rested his head. His dreams were filled with the delicate essence of _his_ beautiful, seductive Elizabeth and his sleep was more peaceful than it at all had been ever since the incident at Ramsgate.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Well, there you have it! I apologize for the delay in publishing this chapter but I have been swamped ever since New Year's. I've been receiving quite a few incredibly interesting ideas for characters and I am loving the way you all think!

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, I have created a challenge that will allow 1-3 readers to have their own ideas featured in the story. You get to create a character, and if I think he/she will fit well into the direction the story is taking your character will become part of the story itself! And of course, I will mention YOU created said character. If you want any more details on the challenge, check out the Author's Note at the end of Chapter 13.

I hope you all have had a lovely start to 2019, and as always YOUR REVIEWS GIVE ME A REASON TO KEEP WRITING! Honestly, if this was a vampire movie I'd be the weird, pale vampire-y person and your awesome reviews would be the blood I feed on, AKA what gives me life. Anyhooooo, leaving that rather dark and scary metaphor in the past, I would like to thank;

 **Nanciellen, Happy Lizzy, Lynned13, and Deanna27** for your consistently encouraging comments and advice, I appreciate it so, so much.

And to everyone else, thank you for reading my story and sticking around as our Bennet girls learn to follow their dreams and look past first impressions and other peoples' imperfections.

Also, I'm dying to hear what you think of the interaction between our dear colonel and Kitty.

And things seem to be heating up quite a bit on the Lizzy/Darcy front, don't they? I do so like a Mr Darcy that has to struggle against Lizzy's cheeky charms!

So there we have it, and I promise to do my best to post the next chapter on time.

Cheerio,

Sammy


	15. The Bennets at Netherfield

Sunday was a dreadful bore, and Lydia made sure everyone knew it.

Apart from walking to and from, and attending, church the four younger Bennet sisters had naught to do. Jane was fully occupied completing her packing for London which led Mary, Kitty, and Lydia to vacate their rooms in favour of the drawing room – their mother's loud, bossy voice telling Jane what to, and not to, take with her being a more than sufficient incentive to remain as far away as possible. The Gardiners were similarly busy avoiding the ruckus above their heads while finishing their own packing as well, and so Lizzy decided to make good use of her time and broach the topic of Kitty's education with her father.

With no knowledge of the request, Lizzy was even now making on her behalf, the girl in question sat at the largest window in the drawing room, sketching paper in hand, with a dreamy look on her face. The colonel had regaled her with tales of his travels and battles the previous evening, and descriptions of India and the Americas now occupied the forefront of her mind.

At the table sat both Mary and Lydia, the former with her nose deep in a book, and the latter meticulously practicing her French while Mary chimed in every few minutes to correct her sister's pronunciation. If anyone had noticed Lydia's current occupation they would have been immensely surprised; Lydia herself, however, simply wanted to improve the skills she thought would be most attractive to the men of the ton. She was determined to attain her goal, marry far above her station, and leave a string of disappointed, brokenhearted men in her wake. _It is only fair,_ she mused, _that if women are treated like objects to be shown off, used, and later discarded, that the vile men of the ton may be treated in a similar fashion._ With fresh determination she applied herself to her lessons and, as Lydia had never been stupid – only too uninterested to make an effort to learn – she now improved at a moderate pace and delighted in the mastery of each small aspect of her education.

* * *

Lizzy had broached the topic of Kitty accompanying her to London with some caution. Her father did not trust either of her youngest sisters and would be hesitant to let turn one of them loose on the ton where their family name and reputations could be ruined in a blink of an eye.

Lizzy was not easily discouraged, though, and after promising that Kitty would be treated as though she were not yet out in society and reminding her father that the girl had been showing promising signs of increased sensibility and maturity, Mr Bennet reluctantly agreed to the plan. It would be for but a few weeks in the end, how much trouble could one girl truly cause?

* * *

Informing Kitty of the offer was an entirely different exchange. The girl immediately shrieked in delight and flew over to hug her sister with all the force she could muster.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said with great excitement once Lizzy explained the reason behind the invitation while Lydia looked on jealously, determined to be included in the invitation as soon as may be.

"Oh dear, Lord and Lady Hundley sound terribly grand! I hope I won't disappoint you, Lizzy," Kitty said, suddenly becoming far more solemn than usual.

"Dearest, do not underestimate yourself so easily. You are becoming quite sensible, and I'm sure you shall have the ton eating out of your hands before long."

Slightly reassured, the girl voiced her thanks for Mr Darcy's invitation and promised to thank him personally when they met again. Thus the girls whiled away the day reading, writing, drawing, and embroidering, occasionally discussing what they imagined London would be like this time of year, and what sort of entertainment awaited the 'lucky' girls, as Lydia put it, who got to go. The monotony of their activities was only broken by the arrival of several letters including one from Charlotte who was delighted to hear Lizzy still planned to keep her promise and visit soon.

Mere minutes after Lizzy had set her correspondence down at the desk she shared with her sisters, a footman from Netherfield came knocking at the door. A letter addressed to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, was all he delivered before making haste to return from whence he came.

Beth happened to be the one to receive him and, in a greatly appreciated gesture, slipped the letter into Elizabeth's hands with only a short whisper to explain its origin. Thankfully none of the household had noticed.

Eagerly, Lizzy tore open the envelope, immediately recognizing the handwriting as that of her betrothed.

 _My dearest Elizabeth,_

 _I cannot begin to express how desperately I miss you. I am most indignant at being kept from your company this entire day and pray you know you occupy my thoughts every moment we are apart._

Lizzy blushed at his words, evidently very pleased.

 _The gift you sneakily bestowed on me last night, thankfully, provides some comfort in your absence. Carrying something so quintessentially you with me has made me inexplicably 'smile-ish', as Georgiana put it._

 _My beloved Lizzy, I thank the Lord each day for bringing us together, and for the impact you have made on my own life, and that of my family._

 _Never doubt that I love you with all my heart._

 _Forever yours,_

 _Fitzwilliam Darcy_

Lizzy read and reread the letter several times before making her way upstairs and placing it inside the edition of Hamlet Mr Darcy had given her. She hadn't been alone with him in what felt like ages, though in reality not that long at all, and it frustrated her.

Whenever they were together the minutes flew by almost unnoticeably quickly. The topics of their conversation ranged from literature to politics, science to art, and everything in between. The couple, joined by Georgiana, had spoken so often of Pemberley that Lizzy was sure she wouldn't ever get lost in its grounds. The house itself was another story entirely, and she soon begged the two not to speak further of music rooms, sitting rooms, kitchens, parlours, and chambers. The endless list Georgiana laughingly recited made Lizzy's head swim and she told them she would surely need a map to find her way for at least the first year of her stay.

It had been at that moment that Lizzy realized she would soon be leaving Longbourn behind for good. Never again would she be merely a daughter in her father's house, but rather the mistress of one of the finest estates in the country. The thought both thrilled and terrified her, and she said as much to her companions. Her words seemed to impact Darcy as much as her thoughts had affected her and he reached over to clasp her hand in his own with a reassuring squeeze. Georgisensing some part of her trepidation, although not fully comprehending the drastic change Elizabeth would experience once she married, scooted over to give her future sister a light hug.

Once again Lizzy had to wonder how anyone could ever have thought ill of the two Darcy's. She found it impossible to see her own reasons for disliking them as anything but proud and spiteful, and sent up a silent prayer of thanks for not having lost two people who now meant the world to her.

* * *

During their private conversations Elizabeth discovered the finer details of Mr Darcy's childhood; how his father and mother were wed through the arrangement of their respective families and in a stroke of luck had fallen deeply in love, and how his housekeeper Mrs Reynolds worked for his family even before his birth and had become a trusted adviser who often felt more like family than an employee.

She learned his favourite colour was green, as was hers coincidentally, and that he had fallen off his horses far more than he would ever admit. He told her of all the hijinks Richard had talked him into, and how he broke his arm tumbling out of a tree at the age of six.

The few times they were utterly alone, and the conversation turned serious, William spoke of his mother and father, of their love for each other and their children, and how it had shattered his heart to lose them at so young an age. At one such time, Elizabeth had gently drawn his hands to her lips, an action he now knew was meant to show him her support and unconditional love. She held them there until Darcy, having, at last, found someone he did not constantly have to be strong for, leaned forward and buried his face in her hands as hot tears slid down his cheeks. At times such as these Elizabeth was content to be strong for _him_ and allow him, at last, to grieve the loss of his parents.

These conversations built an unshakeable trust between the two, along with a deeply rooted sense of respect and devotion for the other in whose arms they found comfort and safety.

* * *

Silently reliving each of those moments brought a smile to Elizabeth's face that puzzled her younger sisters and made her father and aunt smirk knowingly at the symptoms of all-consuming love. While the rest of the Bennets remained in the drawing-room after dinner, Lizzy was content to retire to her bedroom, reveling in the knowledge that she was loved, and could love in return.

* * *

At Netherfield, Georgiana was in a totally opposite state of mind as she went over the schedule and menu for the next day's dinner, frowning in concentration. It would be the first time she hosted a dinner for people who weren't her family and her anxiety was starting to get the better of her. Darcy and Richard were in the billiards room, and she had seen neither of them since the end of dinner, only annoying her further as neither was around to ask for advice. At last, having pored over her notes with meticulous care, she retired leaving that part of the house dark and empty.

* * *

The Gardiners and Jane departed from Longbourn at precisely eight the next morning. After a hurried breakfast, and even more hurried goodbyes, the adults piled all the children into the carriage and followed suit themselves less than a minute later. With many waves and shouts, they pulled out of the gates and onto the main road leading to London. They would arrive an easy four hours later.

The rest of the Bennet sisters, excluding Mary, roamed about outside for the better part of half an hour, each unwilling to return to the confines of the house and attempting to while away the time remaining before they were to leave for Netherfield.

Lizzy, in a fit of mischief, settled on climbing the old ash tree that stood sturdy, yet bare, and out of sight from Longbourn's windows. She had fond memories of ascending that very tree as a child and gained an odd sense of satisfaction doing so once more. She was especially eager to speak to Mr Darcy that evening as she had finally come to a decision on the venue for their wedding. She had hoped her mother would have no say in where the wedding was held, but in the end, it was the vociferous way in which she commanded Jane's every action the day before that convinced Lizzy to choose Pemberley. Lizzy could not bear the idea of undergoing the same treatment for the better part of the next three months.

The facilities at Longbourn, and Meryton's small inn would be insufficient to host all their guests in any case, and she would use that as her excuse to her parents.

Lydia had veered off towards the stables; she loved horses and always took every opportunity she was given to ride. As a result, her seat was far more refined than any of the other girls in Meryton, a fact she had always been happy to point out.

Kitty, Lizzy noted as she pulled herself onto a higher branch, had skipped off to the flower beds yet returned empty-handed. Usually, she would pick several buds and blooms to draw but today she merely examined the flowers for a few minutes before joining Lydia in the stables, and it puzzled her older sister.

* * *

Soon enough all the girls once again congregated in the drawing room, waiting impatiently for the appropriate time to get ready for their evening excursion. That time finally came, and with a collected sigh of relief each scurried off to get dressed.

As the clock struck four, they made their way downstairs and hurried into the waiting carriage chattering excitedly about the evening's activities, and were on their way with only a light amount of commanding and advising from their mother.

* * *

Their hostess for the evening stood waiting on the stairs, accompanied by her cousin and brother, when they pulled up to the front of the house. Georgiana smiled brightly as the girls exited the modest carriage, aided by the colonel and Mr Darcy, the latter looking as pleased as his sister while the former seemed far more sombre than anything else.

"I am so happy to see you all!" Georgiana exclaimed when the girls reached the step she was standing on, "I've been frightfully lonely and bored the past few days as Richard and Fitz are constantly in the billiards room," she huffed with a playful glare at the two men in question.

"You could always join us, Georgi!" her cousin retaliated, his smile briefly reappearing.

"And listen to you complain about the state of the weather for an hour? I'd rather not," came Georgiana's reply, although also said with a cheerful smile.

"Now, now, you two," Mr Darcy interrupted with mock seriousness, "if this continues you might scare the Misses Bennet away with your ill manners."

At which the whole company laughed, more due to the surprise of Mr Darcy joking than the actual statement itself.

Dinner was served soon after the girls arrived, with Lydia and Mary seated on either side of Georgiana, and Kitty and Elizabeth situated beside their preferred companions. Although not lavish, the food was delicious and plentiful. The conversation was loud and filled with laughter as each member of the group adjusted to not being in the company of their elders, who would doubtlessly reprimand them for their raucous behaviour.

Even Mr Darcy could not remain stiff and silent for long, not when his older cousin was acting far more the fool than anyone else around the table. The colonel seemed to have forgotten his earlier unhappiness for the moment and fed off his companions' laughter as much as he did the pheasant on his plate.

At several points throughout the meal, Kitty had to dab her eyes with a handkerchief as she dissolved into tears from laughing too long, and too heartily.

Even Lydia had hiccups by the time the entire party moved to the drawing room, and it took several minutes of reclining on the comfortable seats in a daze for any of the party to form coherent sentences once more.

Mary would never admit it, but she had nearly choked on her wine when the colonel recounted a visit to his aunt Catherine's home as a child where he had gotten a hold of one of her wigs and, with an air of perfect grace and elegance, had made his way to where his aunt was entertaining a visiting earl and his wife, calling for the housekeeper in a high pitched voice. What amused Mary so thoroughly, however, was that the colonel had been decidedly older than a mere child at the time as Darcy laughingly pointed out; he had just turned fourteen.

After those assembled were sufficiently recovered, card tables were set up and Lydia, who played better than anyone the Bennets were acquainted with, challenged the colonel, Mr Darcy, and Georgiana to a game. Elizabeth and Kitty were content to sit some way off and discuss their plans for London, while Mary delighted in the fact that there was an unoccupied pianoforte in the room and sheets upon sheets of music she had never before laid eyes upon. Georgiana had brought them with her and was more than happy to lend them to Mary so she could copy down the pieces she liked.

As the two girls teamed up against the gentleman, and the game began both men were shocked at Lydia's seemingly innate ability to deduce their next moves with frightful accuracy while Georgiana, both a little jealous and exceedingly gleeful at what she was sure would be the first time either men were beaten at a game, pleaded her to teach them how to do the same.

With a great sense of pride, Lydia explained some of her methods, without giving away too much. She was not about to let anyone in on her secrets.

* * *

Reclining comfortably on a soft couch Lizzy and Kitty watched with amusement as the colonel and Mr Darcy's expressions changed from teasingly arrogant, to horrified, and then determined. Both girls knew exactly what the men were going through, having been thoroughly beaten by their youngest sister more times than they could count. The inevitability of their loss was why none of the girls ever wanted to play against her.

As the game dragged on, Elizabeth turned to Kitty with a smile and decided to bring up her not-so-subtle flirtation with the colonel.

"I see the colonel is quite distracted from his game tonight, Kitty, and Mr Darcy does not seem pleased at all. Would I be correct in assuming you are the reason for his inability to focus?"

Kitty blushed slightly, trying to think of a reply that would circumvent the need to answer her sister's question.

"Oh, he just enjoys being in the company of people who love laughter and jokes in equal measure with himself," she said, acting as if Lizzy's observation was of no consequence. In fact, Kitty had been developing strong feelings for the charming, light-hearted colonel but was unsure of his regard for her. She did not want to expect anything for fear of being disappointed and hurt, but her heart couldn't help but hope.

Seeing her sister's discomfort discussing the topic, Lizzy quickly steered the conversation in a different direction, eventually settling on the assembly that would be occurring the day after the next.

"I am so incredibly excited," Kitty said as her countenance lightened once more and a brilliant smile was plastered across her face. "I have been adjusting my old white muslin dress for the past two weeks, and I am sure no one in Hertfordshire has seen anything like it!"

"Oh dear," was Lizzy's laughing reply, "I am both curious and frightened!"

Kitty only smiled, quite sure her sister would not understand until she actually saw the dress.

* * *

When the card game finally ended with Lydia and Georgiana claiming a decided victory over the gentlemen, the group reshuffled. Kitty ended up in one corner of the room with the colonel, and Elizabeth and Darcy in the corner opposite theirs.

Left to their own devices, as Mary was still fully absorbed in the sheet music before her, Lydia and Georgiana's talk turned to the upcoming assembly. Having never been to a country dance before, Georgiana was understandably very excited at being allowed to participate. The two girls gleefully discussed their dresses and, with as much stealth as could be managed which, as giggling fifteen- and sixteen-year-old girls was very little, they scurried from the room to Georgiana's chambers to inspect the dress Georgi planned to wear.

The huge drawing room now rather empty, Darcy decided to make the most of the opportunity he had and whispered to Lizzy to meet him in the library in five minutes. The three other occupants of the room were so engrossed in their current distractions neither noticed first Darcy, then Lizzy, slip out of the room a few minutes apart.

* * *

At that very moment, Kitty was in the middle of a very difficult conversation with the colonel. He'd struggled miserably with the way to best broach the subject of their relationship and even now felt nauseated by the words he was forced to say.

"I hope you understand, Miss Catherine. I will be leaving soon and doubt my ability to return, although I will always treasure our friendship," he muttered in a defeated tone.

 _Why the devil is this so difficult?_ his mind cried out.

Kitty was taking his news with admirable strength. At the moment all she wished to do was flee the room and burst into tears but she realized that would be irrational. There had never been any understanding between them and it was clear the colonel considered them no more than friends. She would not waste the little time they may still have left feeling angry towards the man but would rather enjoy his company simply for the fond memories the next few days may provide her with.

Forcing herself to smile, although her eyes shimmered suspiciously, she replied, "Of course, Colonel, you have a duty to fulfil and so do I. I'll be leaving with Elizabeth to London soon to continue my art studies, thus I can do naught but wish you the utmost happiness in your pursuits for the New Year."

Kitty felt proud of herself for reacting the way she had. A few months ago she would have insulted the man and dismissed him as beneath her notice for hurting her as he just had. Kitty would most likely have done that, but today Catherine was strong enough to let her feelings show, even if only slightly, and try her best to understand the colonel's situation.

The two sat together in awkward silence, both absorbed in their own unhappy thoughts until Lydia and Georgiana returned, loudly inquiring where Mr Darcy and Elizabeth had disappeared to. In a stroke of luck both individuals in question returned less than a minute after the girls, and no one could confidently say how long they had been gone, so their disappearance remained unmentioned for the rest of the night, although Lydia noticed with a smirk that Lizzy's hair was decidedly less neatly pinned than it had been earlier that evening.

* * *

The truth of the matter is that Darcy had received a package that very morning containing a gift for Elizabeth that he had commissioned weeks ago, when he had first determined to ask her to marry him, and now planned to present it to its new owner.

Leaving his guests in the warm drawing room, he had rushed up the stairs two at a time and dashed into his chambers to where the small package lay on his bedside table. Slipping its contents into his pocket, he made his way to the library at a slightly slower pace and awaited Lizzy's arrival.

The door slowly squeaked open a minute later, and a rather puzzled Lizzy walked in.

"William, you seem to have gone from delighting in frightening me to obtaining endless amusement by surprising me," she said with mock disapproval.

I would imagine you prefer the latter far above the former, my dear, or am I once again dreadfully mistaken?" he inquired as he moved closer to her.

"Unfortunately I must admit you are not," came her smiling reply as Fitzwilliam gently placed his one hand behind her neck and drew her lips to his in a lingering kiss.

"You cannot imagine how desperately I have wanted to do just that all evening, my Lizzy," the man whispered tenderly as his breath tickled her ear.

"I know exactly how you feel, my love, for I have experienced the exact same longing ."

Mr Darcy made no reply, his focus now turned quite intently on Lizzy's neck. He trailed fiery, slow kisses from her jaw down to her collarbone and Lizzy found she could not remember what she had been planning to say.

Working his way back up the opposite side of her neck, Lizzy's eyes now closed and head thrown back, he paused on a spot right beneath her ear and gave it the lightest brush with his teeth. Elizabeth's reaction was instant. She let out a soft moan, and her hands lifted to cup Darcy's face as she returned his lips to her own in a passionate frenzy. Darcy slowly walked her back against the wall, trailing his hands down her arms to come to rest on her hips. This time he did not merely stop at running his tongue across her lip, nor did Lizzy wish him to, as she parted her lips ever so slightly and felt all the strength leave her body as his tongue touched her own. Gasping and pulling on each other's clothing, they melted into the other's embrace and a minute or two later were forced to separate a fraction of an inch by their desire to breathe. Darcy didn't move away from Lizzy though, his hands still entangled in her hair that had pulled slightly loose. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he drew her away from the wall and closer to the single candle that burnt on the table near the door.

"I have something to give you, Lizzy," his hoarse voice broke the silence.

Reaching into his pocket, he drew out the most spectacular ring Elizabeth had ever seen. Three large stones formed its center, surrounded by the finest strands of golden ivy. The gems were of the exact same size and placed in a perfect line, the first being a deep, brilliantly green emerald, the second a paler shade of green, and the last quite obviously a diamond.

"Oh it's beautiful, William, but far too grand for me to wear!" Lizzy exclaimed.

"Elizabeth, I assure you, this ring is fit for none other than you. You see, I had it specially made to my extremely detailed specifications and there's an important reason why," Darcy said softly as he slipped the glittering band onto her ring finger.

"The three stones are emerald, beryl, and diamond. Do you know what each of those gems stand for? The 'E' is for Elizabeth, the 'B' for Bennet, and 'D' for Darcy. I want you to wear it as a reminder of where you came from, and a symbol of who you will become. Elizabeth, I love every bit of you and I don't ever want to give anyone the chance to view our relationship as anything but the torrid, all-consuming, devoted love affair it is and always will be. When we are married I want everyone to know I made Elizabeth _Bennet_ my wife, and that I am proud of who you are," Darcy explained in tender earnestness.

"The vines of ivy symbolise fidelity and undying love, which is what I plan to provide you with for the rest of my life. Lizzy, I want this ring to be uniquely yours, for you to leave our children so that it may always remind them that their mother was entirely her own person, and also perhaps that their father was utterly, idiotically besotted with her," he added with a chuckle.

"I don't know what to say, William, except that I will wear it with pride. In fact I don't believe I will ever be able to take it off," Lizzy whispered, laughing through tears that threatened to fall.

"I was planning to give it to you at the assembly on Wednesday, but seeing you here tonight made my last shred of patience disappear. Unfortunately that means you won't be able to wear it in public until your father makes the announcement, but luckily I have one more gift I am sure you can wear at any time it pleases you," at which Darcy revealed a dainty necklace made of a fine gold chain with a single, brilliant diamond as a pendant. It had belonged to his mother, he explained, and now it was hers.

"Fitzwilliam Darcy, you are going to turn me into a very spoiled woman if you carry on this way," Lizzy scolded with a delighted burst of laughter.

"Then I would have achieved my goal, dearest," Darcy replied as Lizzy turned around so he could clasp the chain behind her neck, "as there is nothing I'd rather do than shower you with gifts, and every jewel in the Darcy collection. Well, almost nothing," he added in a suggestive voice as he planted a kiss on the exposed skin above the clasp he had just shut.

Turning to plant an equally sweet kiss on his lips, she said, "As much as I would enjoy staying here with you for the rest of the night," at which Mr Darcy's eyebrows rose teasingly, "I believe you have guests who have probably noticed our absence by now."

With a sigh, Darcy admitted she was correct. After clumsily attempting to help her fix her hair, which only made Lizzy giggle then sigh in exasperation as he was making it far worse, the two returned to their family and friends Not, however, without Lizzy grabbing his hand as they stepped out of the library and whispering, "William, I want to get married at Pemberley," in such a nonchalant manner that it caught him quite off guard and his smile took a few seconds to appear. Her words finally sinking in, Fitzwilliam pulled her into his embrace and, with a beaming smile, placed a kiss on her forehead before escorting her back to the drawing room.

* * *

The rest of the evening passed in a similar fashion as it had begun, although Kitty said very little and refused to participate in the conversation during their trip home. After the guests had left the colonel also abruptly stood, excused himself, and stalked off in the direction of his room, to the intense puzzlement of both Georgiana and Fitzwilliam.

* * *

While Lydia and her sisters remained downstairs answering their mother's eager questions Catherine Bennet, being no longer able to hide her pain, rushed to her room, flung off her dress with Beth's help, and collapsed sobbing on the bed. Being well acquainted with the mood swings of the youngest Bennets, Beth quietly exited the room and shut the door, instructing the housemaid to take a cup of tea to Miss Kitty's room in about twenty minutes.

This was done dutifully and, with a grateful smile from the young girl, old Joan shut the door behind her and left Kitty in peace. Her tears spent, she sipped the scalding tea unhappily and soon thereafter curled into a ball and fell asleep.

* * *

The colonel lay awake late into the night, unable to rid his mind of the expression on the lovely Catherine's face when he told her he would be leaving. That very expression haunted his dreams and he arose the next morning having slept barely more than an hour.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Well, folks, there you have it. A lovely long chapter to hopefully make up for me not posting anything yesterday.

I know I promised you the story will be low on angst, but I have to admit I rather like the way things are going between Kitty and the colonel at the moment. Kitty still has quote some way to go, and the best way for her to mature and develop is perhaps not with the colonel constantly distracting her. Plus, Richard has spent the better part of 15 years convinced he would have to marry an heiress. It's not as if all those years will just disappear into thin air. Our two characters need to go through the growth process on their own, and that is what they will be doing. And of course, they will always be friends, so don't fret! Also, I PROMISE both the Colonel and Kitty will get the HEAs they deserve, but whether that is together or apart, I am just too evil to tell you right now. ;D

Also, how do you all like the ring?

And guess who's gonna flip out when they read D&Es wedding announcement in the papeeeeerrrrrsssss. PS. More than one person.

The next chapter will be looking at the assembly, and also at what dear old Jane has been up to in London. I promise you, her time there shall be MOST eventful.

Anyhoooo, I realize I also never explained where the devil Wickham went. For those of you who were wondering, he's currently having his ass kicked in Brighton after he tried to convince the wrong girl to elope. Although she was indeed an heiress her father, unfortunately, was a General in His Majesty's army, and didn't take it lightly when his daughter told him of Wickhams plans. Karma is _such_ a bitch.

ALSO!

 **Don't forget to submit your character ideas (more details in the A/N of chapters 13 and 14) as our girls ought to be in London within the next 2-3 chapters!**

Thank you to;

for pointing out its not a week, but rather a 'sennight', I'll do my best to remember but forgive me if I slip up now and then.

 **Lynned13, Deanna27, Happy Lizzy,** and **HarnGin** who always review the new chapters. I've gotten so used to reading your comments I get sad when I don't see them :D

Also, thanks to ALL THE GUESTS who consistently comment, I may not know who you are, but I seriously appreciate your reviews.

To all the other lovely reviewers, would it be totally weird if I told you guys I sometimes wake up at 3am and impulsively check to see if you have written something. I mean honestly, how much lower can I go?

ALSO YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SO AWESOME


	16. Of Enchantresses and Gossip

The day of the Meryton assembly brought great excitement to the Bennet household. Through some magical stroke of luck, Mrs Bennet had _not_ informed the entire county of the engagement of her second daughter to one of the most eligible gentlemen in the country. She would never admit it but the main reasons for this was that Mr Darcy intimidated her a great deal, and she was far too eager to have the whole assembly informed on Wednesday in a setting where she could immediately be congratulated by all the families present and bask in their realization of the Bennet family's superiority.

Mr Bennet sorely lamented the fact that he was compelled to attend the assembly, having avoided such events more times than he cared to admit. His favourite daughter's engagement, however, seemed to be just great enough an incentive to accompany his family, though not without grumbling about the idiocy of it all at least twice while his daughters chuckled at his foul mood.

All four girls were in high spirits that evening, Kitty having spent the entire previous day moping about the house until she realized she could not be so dour the next day or the effect of her dress would be ruined.

Plastering a bright smile across her face, she had disappeared into her room, returned with a covered basket, and spent the better part of half an hour explaining to Beth, in great detail, the particulars of the hairstyle she desired.

She was happy to let her sisters' hair be done first knowing her own would take considerably more time and so, while the other girls finished their toilettes, she sat patiently in front of the mirror with Beth hard at work on her dark blonde waves. In her lap lay a myriad of colourful, pressed and dried, wildflowers and a long piece of white ribbon with which she was weaving an elaborate headpiece as her hair was braided and pinned.

The three other girls were all extremely curious to see what Kitty would wear that evening, having heard about her plans several times during the preceding week, and having noticed her disappear to her room more than just a few times. The entire family sat waiting for her in the parlour, Mr Bennet growing more impatient by the minute when they finally heard her steps on the stairs and looked to the door expectantly.

Catherine Bennet did not disappoint. She wore a brilliantly white muslin gown, without any lace or ribbons, the skirt of which she had turned into something none of the girls had ever seen before. The top of it seemed to fade into the lower, which had been dyed a myriad of pale colours, ranging from pastel blue, to purple, to pink, to orange in billowy waves. Seeing it for the first time one couldn't help but immediately think of the sunset across a lake. Her bodice was decorated with the finest crystals of blue, purple, and gold, and they sparkled as she walked past the candles in the room. Elizabeth could almost imagine they were stars, and the effect was at once eye-catching and mesmerizing. Her hair complemented the dress perfectly, with loose curls framing her face, and the small flowers adorning the intricate braids twisted around her head. The flowers matched the colours in her dress and more than once that evening a jealous young lady or mama would be forced to admit she looked like she belonged to the fairy folk.

Even Mr Bennet, annoyed as he was at having been made to wait, had to compliment Kitty on her design and its execution. Mrs Bennet, although she stared long and hard at the dress and its accessories, only said "very pretty, dear," and walked off to collect her shawl and gloves.

Kitty's sisters were far more enthusiastic, though Mary said little except for inquiring how she had obtained such pale shades of colour. Lizzy and Lydia exclaimed in delight, immediately agreeing Kitty would be the prettiest in the room that evening, at which the girl in question stared at her younger sister in shock. Lydia had never before complimented her for anything, most certainly not her appearance, and this marked change left Kitty speechless.

Lydia herself had not really thought her remarks through either; they had left her mouth before she could analyze their contents, but she couldn't be anything but pleased when Kitty suddenly pulled her into a hug and whispered "We all know everyone will be staring at you, Lydia" with a smile on her face.

Lydia had outdone herself as well, although in a slightly less show-stopping manner. Her dress, which was, in reality, one of Jane's, was a deep, velvety blue and far simpler than anything Lydia would usually have worn. However, the fact that Jane always had more dance partners than she had dances convinced Lydia she had to be doing something right and encouraged her to imitate her fashion choices. The change was both refreshing and pleasing to the eye.

All the girls looked very pretty that evening, although Mary had reverted to one of her dark brown gowns which Lizzy had insisted she compliment with gold ribbons in her hair. Even though it was a more solemn look, the ribbons elevated it slightly and Mr Ferrars seemed very pleased with the result.

Lizzy had settled for her old favourite, an ivory muslin gown, with which she proudly wore the diamond pendant Mr Darcy had given her. Her ring was concealed in a pocket she had sewn into her skirts about two years ago. She'd done so as a way to take an orphaned baby rabbit with her to a dance as the night had been exceedingly cold and she'd felt terribly sorry for the fellow.

Unfortunately, the little thing had stuck his head out of her pocket in the middle of her dance and she had had a horrible time trying not to burst into laughter. She did, however, run off as soon as the music ended. Needless to say, her mother had been exceedingly displeased.

At last, properly attired and sufficiently prepared, the Bennet family made their way to the assembly hall with eager smiles and high expectations, none of which were disappointed, at least for the extent of the evening.

* * *

Mr Bennet, with the hope that he could get his duty for that night over and done with, had arranged with Sir Lucas to make his announcement immediately before the first dance. Thus he would be free to spirit himself into a corner with a book and attempt to gain _some_ sort of enjoyment from the evening, while gleefully observing all the silly scenes the inhabitants of Meryton could portray.

Lizzy had entered the room and immediately searched for Mr Darcy, who was yet nowhere to be seen. However, the appearance of Georgiana and the colonel only minutes later, followed by her fiancé, managed to put a beaming smile on Lizzy's face.

Mr Darcy himself seemed to have eyes only for her, and he walked over almost as soon as he had greeted the Lucases, and the Martins who were too in awe of the man to say much.

Happily situated on her fiancé's arm, Lizzy directed their path to where her father was standing, evidently eager to make his announcement, while Georgiana joined them inquiring worriedly where Kitty and Lydia were. She was visibly relieved when Lizzy informed her Kitty had had some trouble undoing her coat and had enlisted Lydia's help. They were both still in the ladies' cloakroom.

At that exact moment, Lydia entered, smilingly hurrying towards Georgi, although she was stopped twice by young gentlemen who wished to request a dance. Kitty followed mere seconds later, and her entrance caused quite a stir as everyone who beheld her gasped in unison. She looked absolutely radiant.

Almost immediately a young man walked towards her and, bowing deeply, requested her first dance. Having already promised it to the colonel, she settled on dancing the second with the handsome bookshop owner's son. She had barely turned in search of Colonel Fitzwilliam when another man, slightly older though no less handsome, walked up and claimed both her third and fifth sets. Just when she believed she would be able to make her way over to Richard, a third gentleman, although he was closer to a boy in age, came to claim a dance directly after supper.

Colonel Fitzwilliam was quite visibly irked. He had been frozen to the spot when he saw her, sweeping into the room, glowing with ethereal beauty, and that small delay in his movements had given all the other men a chance to talk to her before he did. _What atrocious strategizing, and from a colonel nonetheless,_ he thought to himself. His mother had often read him the stories in _Le Morte d'Arthur_ * as a child and even though he had only truly paid attention to the retelling of Arthur's battles, he had to admit Catherine - **_Miss_** _Catherine,_ he was forced to remind himself - looked as mystically beautiful as he had always imagined the Lady of the Lake to be. His gaping soon turned into glaring as gentleman after gentleman rushed over to her and asked for a dance. Richard was angry, and it made him even more so as he realized he had no right to be jealous. He had no claim on Catherine's attention, and he never would have. The thought displeased him immensely and he felt determined to enjoy her company as much as possible that evening while scaring off her other admirers, knowing he would be leaving in less than a week.

Walking over to her with a smile, although he silently glared at any man who tried to approach her for the rest of the night, he bowed deeply, saying, "Miss Catherine, I barely recognized you when you entered, although I shouldn't have been surprised as there can only be one Lady of the Lake in England and you most definitely resemble an enchantress."

 _If she is the enchantress then I am most certainly Merlin,_ the colonel thought with a small sigh.

Kitty blushed lightly as she curtseyed, and replied as cheekily as she could manage given her troubled emotions, "Well, sir, if I am indeed an enchantress I would expect you to greet me in a far more obsequious manner."

"Then I shall endeavour to be humbler in your presence henceforth, milady," he replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"Very well," came her mockingly haughty reply, "but if you struggle to do so I may send you for lessons to my cousin, Mr Collins. I assure you his fawning is second to none, especially when it comes to his patroness."

"He sounds like a most curious man, you must tell me more!" came the colonel's laughing reply as he offered Kitty his arm and led her to the side of the room.

* * *

After several more minutes of mingling and conversing, Sir Lucas walked to the head of the room and gained the group's attention with the help of the musicians.

With every eye in the room now trained in his direction in great curiosity, Mr Bennet walked slowly forward and turned to face his audience.

"Friends, family, and people of Meryton, I would like to wish you all a prosperous New Year!" he paused as well wishes were uttered in return, "But that is not the only reason for my speech today. I am here as it gives me great pleasure to announce the upcoming marriage of my daughter, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, to Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley."

A cheer rang out from a part of the room suspiciously close to where the colonel was standing, and the whole assembly clapped in congratulations, although with varying degrees of sincerity. Most of the ladies offered their congratulations with a distinct look of jealousy tainting their smiles, but Elizabeth and Darcy were completely oblivious, simply content at being able to now act as fiancés in public as well as private. No one would bat an eye if the two danced almost half the sets together, which was precisely what Mr Darcy intended them to do.

"Elizabeth, do you have the ring with you?" Mr Darcy whispered as he leaned slightly closer so she could hear him above the noise in the room.

With a nod she removed it from her pocket and handed it over to him. Mr Darcy promptly raised her hand and slid the ring onto her finger as cheers once more sounded throughout the room. A moment later the music started and the couple made their way to the top of the line as the dance began.

* * *

The evening progressed pleasantly, and none of the girls lacked partners for any of their dances. Not even Mary, who had her dance card filled by gentlemen who, having never noticed her before, were now curious to learn more of the Bennet family. She obliged each with a smile, although Lizzy noticed that she had disappeared from the room for the duration of an entire dance and had returned smiling happily as she wandered over to talk to her Aunt Phillips.

Mrs Bennet was in her element, flitting from one family to the next, and basking in the praise she received. Everyone agreed she was most definitely the best matchmaker in Hertfordshire and several young girls approached her for advice on how to win their gentlemen. If only the assembly had known what insignificant part Fanny Bennet had actually played in her daughter's engagement, but who was she to contradict all the people now clamouring for her advice and help?

Elizabeth and Darcy were forced to endure several longwinded speeches of congratulations, and more than once Mr Darcy joined the colonel scowling jealously at the gentlemen dancing with _their_ ladies, although Richard constantly reminded himself Catherine was not truly _his._

Georgiana and Lydia spent most of the evening in conversation with Kitty joining them whenever her attention was not fully taken by the colonel who barely left her side in between sets. Georgi happily danced with both her brother and cousin, and after Lizzy spoke to Darcy, with two or three more respectable men Lizzy assured her betrothed were already courting, or engaged to, other ladies.

Lydia, no longer interested in being courted by any of the men in Meryton, agreed to dance with every gentleman who asked her for a set and so was not without a partner for more than a few minutes. She had to admit that merely dancing, without the constant strain of appearing alluring or flirtatious, was rather enjoyable.

By the end of the night all four girls' slippers were at their last and they were all dreadfully tired, the excitement of the night having worn off. They tumbled into bed as soon as they reached home, which was only in the early hours of the morning, and did not awaken until nearly one o'clock that afternoon.

* * *

Meanwhile, in London, Jane had spent much of the morning shopping with her aunt. There was little Marianne Gardiner enjoyed more than a day out and about town. After a stop at the milliner's and haberdashery, they paid a visit to Mrs Gardiner's most favoured modiste. Although not as well-known as the modistes frequented by the crème de la crème of London society, the woman was very respectable and very skilled. Jane was fitted for a new day dress and a ball gown even though she protested against her aunt paying for it all. Mrs Gardiner merely turned deaf for the entirety of Jane's outburst and replied that she would accept no further objections, only thanks.

Arriving home, the two women retired to the drawing room as tea was served. To Jane's immense surprise one of the maids entered soon after and handed her a letter which she knew, from the handwriting on the envelope, neither came from her sisters or parents. The seal seemed elaborate and she could not recall ever having seen it before. Mentioning this to her aunt, the girl set down her tea and tore open the envelope to withdraw a seemingly short missive from an unknown writer.

Jane read the note aloud,

' _Dear Miss Jane Bennet,_

 _I hope you will forgive my forwardness in sending this letter but my niece, Georgiana Darcy, informed me of your visit to London and insisted that I invite you to Matlock House for tea as soon as may be._

 _She has assured me I will be delighted with you and, as I am in desperate need of some sensible company, I would like to extend an invitation to visit at 3 o'clock this coming Saturday, if it suits you._

 _I have included my card and hope to receive your reply very soon._

 _Lady Amelia Fitzwilliam, Countess of Matlock_

Jane and her aunt gazed at each other with raised brows. Jane had certainly not imagined Georgiana was serious when she had told her of her aunt. Why in the world would a countess associate with a country miss residing in Cheapside, of all places?

Having promised Georgiana, however, that she would not refuse, she quickly and neatly wrote an affirmative reply and turned it over to the maid to dispatch as soon as possible.

Poor Jane was now decidedly nervous. She barely had anything stylish enough to wear to a London dance, much less the home of an earl. Her aunt did her best to reassure her niece that she would be perfectly fine, but it did little to settle her nerves and Jane looked upon Saturday's excursion with more trepidation than she ever thought possible.

* * *

Not all that far away, a shriek pealed from a room on the upper floor of a rather stylish house.

The sound, similar to that of a cat falling from a tree, shook the windows of the house and sent all its inhabitants scurrying towards its origin in a petrified rush.

"Oh no, it cannot be!" a nasal voice sounded, " **Charles! CHARLES!** Come here this **INSTANT!"**

The man in question came bursting through the door, "Caroline, are you hurt? What is the matter?" he exclaimed, coming to a stop with a puzzled look on his face as he saw his sister standing by the window, a newspaper in hand.

"What is the matter?" Caroline snapped, "I'll tell you what is; that stupid, shallow, insipid little country chit has trapped Mr Darcy into marriage!"

Mr Bingley was now totally confused, "What do you mean? I thought Mr Darcy was still at Netherfield?"

"Are you really so incredibly slow of mind, Charles? Of _course_ he is still in Hertfordshire! Where else would he be where he could become engaged to none other than that, that, that _savage_ Eliza Bennet?!" Caroline's voice was climbing higher with each word.

"Are you quite serious? Darcy and Miss Elizabeth?" Mr Bingley asked incredulously, feeling a slight pang of sadness as he remembered Jane's rejection.

" _No,_ Charles, I meant Mr Dandy and Miss Melissa-beth," Caroline replied sarcastically as she rolled her eyes, "Oh, why do I have such an utter ignoramus for a brother?"

"Caroline, there is no need to be so malicious!" Charles exclaimed, both hurt and annoyed by his sister's words, "We should be glad Mr Darcy has found happine-," poor Mr Bingley had to duck as a teacup flew in his direction. It hit the wall behind him and shattered to the floor.

At this, Charles decided to make good his escape and hurriedly left, closing the door behind him. He was not equal to dealing with Caroline's foul mood that day, or ever, to be more precise.

He had been planning to return to Netherfield, having decided to end his lease contract and perhaps find an estate in Scarborough near the rest of his family. He was definitely growing weary of Caroline's company after the Hursts had politely yet decidedly refused to house her any longer. She'd been the cause of nearly all the couple's arguments and Mr Hurst had finally awoken from his incessant napping long enough to put his foot down.

Walking down the stairs he could hear the sound of screaming and breaking glass. Taking a detour to his study, he stopped to ask a maid to clean the upstairs sitting room in an hour or so, "Just make sure Miss Bingley has left before you do," he warned the young girl, who nodded vigorously, all too aware of the woman's violent temper.

* * *

Miles away, in an opulent sitting room filled with family heirlooms and enormous paintings of stately men and women, a grand looking lady read the papers with a very similar reaction to Caroline's, though she did not at that moment feel the urge to throw things.

She only felt angry; so incredibly infuriated.

 _How dare this Elizabeth girl ensnare Fitzwilliam in her filthy claws?_ Lady Catherine de Bourgh thought angrily, _I always believed Darcy to be intelligent, but it seems all men are useless when it comes to resisting women. Typical. I shall have to fix this catastrophe myself! I will not, CANNOT, allow him to marry such a country nobody! Imagine what the ton will think!_

Lady Catherine had grown frightfully still after her initial outburst, and the servants who had rushed to her aid now trembled in fear at what was to come. They had worked at Rosings long enough to know when the grand old lady became so intensely silent no good would come from it, and they feared the consequences of her rage.

Barking orders to her frightened employees, she dispatched a note to a well-known investigator in London. She would find out all there is to know about the Bennet family, and perhaps she could blackmail them into withdrawing from the arrangement. If not, she would pay them to release her nephew from such a dreadful fate.

 _Fitzwilliam is to marry Anne, and I shall have it no other way,_ she quietly affirmed.

* * *

That Thursday all of London, and much of its surroundings was abuzz with the news. In parlours and drawing rooms alike ladies mused aloud at the origins of this Miss Bennet.

"I don't know anyone of that name, I swear to you Judith!"

"She's never been here during the season I can assure you, Sarah."

"My husband tells me he has never heard the name Bennet before, and he knows _everyone_ worth knowing."

Their snooty voices filled the air.

It seemed that every household in the city had the name Elizabeth Bennet echoing in its hallways and chambers. No one knew who the girl was, and more than a few viewed her as nothing more than a usurper.

* * *

For the remainder of the week all the women visiting the Countess of Matlock did their best to pry any sort of information on her nephews betrothed from her, but she was strangely and strategically silent.

Mr Darcy had written to her husband of his engagement, and although the earl had been disappointed that his nephew's marriage would not serve to increase his wealth or status, the man knew what it was to be in love and was content in the knowledge that his nephew was happy.

The countess, though pleased with what she heard of Elizabeth from Georgiana, was also exceedingly curious and looked forward to meeting at least one of the Bennet sisters and gauging whether they would be presentable to highest circles of London society. She had very few doubts though, as she knew whomever Darcy chose would be exceptional.

With their sister's marriage, the Bennet girls would be thrown into shark-infested waters, and she was determined to do her best to guide them. She knew better than most how poorly an individual could be treated by society and hoped to spare the girls unnecessary pain. A season in London was similar to war and as her younger son, Richard, always insisted, having even one strong ally could be the difference between victory and defeat.

So it was that the upper-class society members schemed and planned, while the innocent Bennet girls remained utterly oblivious to the approaching storm.

 ***** _The Death of Arthur –_ written by Thomas Malory in the 15th century

* * *

 **A/N:**

Yay, another chapter!

Hope you guys liked it, and I'm dying to hear what you think about the King Arthur reference.

Did you know that in one of the earliest versions of the story of King Arthur's knights, the enchantress – or Lady of the Lake – used her love as a way to convince Merlin to teach her all his secrets. Even though Merlin knew she would entrap him as soon as he did, he still willingly told her all of them because he was so bewitched by her beauty and, well, he was in love. So now you have some context to why Col. Fitz refers to himself as Merlin. He knows spending time with Kitty is just going to ensnare him further but he does so willingly.

I'm back to working now so I'll do my absolute best to post an update every two days, but forgive me if I miss a day or so sometimes.

Also, I promise Darcy will be just a little less soppy as we proceed. It's just he never really experienced young, stupid love, having been given such massive responsibilities at a young age, so we can imagine he will be a little cheesy as most expressions of love are when it's someone's first time handling that specific emotion.

Special thanks goes to: Lynned13, wonderwoman1970, and of course Happy Lizzy and Deanna 27 for your insightful comments.

To all my other lovely reviewers, thank you so much for your constant and consistent support!

ALSO, I realize both Colonel Fitzwilliams in the 1995 and 2005 versions looked slightly atrocious, so if you're wondering how I imagine the colonel, something like Max Thieriot. I posted the exact pic on my bio if you wannna see what I mean.


	17. Money Talks

Early Friday morning a note once more arrived for Elizabeth from Netherfield.

A footman had reached the house just as she and Mary sat down to breakfast, and Joanne dutifully brought it to its intended recipient, informing her that the letter carrier had been instructed to wait for a reply. Excusing herself from the table she picked up her cup of tea and walked to her desk in the drawing room.

This time, although sweet, Mr Darcy's missive had a greater purpose than reminding his betrothed of his love, and Lizzy read it with growing curiosity.

 _'My dearest Elizabeth,_

 _I apologize for not coming to see you yesterday but I was fully occupied with a mountain of paperwork my lawyer had sent me from London. It seems I have much to discuss with you and your father, and I wish to request an audience with you both at one o'clock today._

 _Please reply as soon as you are able, as it is of great importance this matter is settled on this selfsame day._

 _Not only that, but I shan't deny my desire to see you. Perhaps, company permitting, you can show me around your father's library if we have the time as I have heard it is second to none in Hertfordshire._

 _Ever yours,_

 _FD'_

Wishing away her blush at Fitzwilliam's desire to tour their library, and the subtext of his statement, Lizzy immediately went to see her father and, having obtained his consent for the afternoon's meeting, she set out her stationery and wrote her reply.

 _'My William,_

 _I realize now that this is the first time I write your name on paper, and I cannot tell you how pleased I am to be able to do so. I miss you dreadfully and have informed my father of your visit, to which he has readily agreed. We will await your arrival at one._

 _Perhaps it would be best for Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam to accompany you as I am sure they will tire of each other's company should our discussions take up much of the afternoon._

 _I am most curious to learn the purpose of your visit, apart from wandering through my father's library._

 _Lovingly yours,_

 _Elizabeth'_

Lizzy smiled at her own impertinence, pleasantly reminded of the liberties she could take in her address and actions towards her fiancé. It was strangely liberating to be free from societal constraints when they were together, and William had promised her it would feel even more so once they were married.

Before her mind wandered too far in the direction of what he may have meant she forced her thoughts to halt. _No use thinking of such things when the wedding is still three months away,_ she silently reprimanded herself.

* * *

Mr Darcy arrived five minutes before one with Georgiana in tow. The colonel, it seemed, had preferred to spend his day outdoors and although Kitty was sorely disappointed she was simultaneously relieved. It was becoming more and more difficult to conceal her feelings and the colonel's constant presence only worsened her suffering.

Georgiana made her way over to where Kitty and Lydia were busy at the table, with a new watercolour painting and a French dictionary respectively. Being fluent in both French and Italian, Georgi was the perfect person for Lydia to practice with and, while Kitty chimed in every few minutes, they held a simple conversation in which Lydia proved she was progressing admirably in her comprehension of and spoken French.

* * *

Fitzwilliam accompanied Elizabeth to the library almost immediately after he had greeted the girls. Entering the room, the couple was surprised to see Mr Bennet's usual seat behind his desk vacant.

"Good afternoon, Mr Darcy," Mr Bennet's voice came from a corner of the room where he was currently rummaging for a book he needed.

"Good day, sir," Darcy replied, turning in surprise and bowing in the direction of Mr Bennet even though the man could not see him.

"Well, Lizzy, Darcy, do sit down and make yourselves at home. I have a feeling this shall be a lengthy discussion," the man did not seem overly pleased that his solitude was being invaded.

The couple sat quietly and waited until Mr Bennet finally let out an "Aha!" and shuffled back to his desk, a rather small notebook in hand.

"So, Mr Darcy, what is it that we must all discuss so urgently?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well sir, Elizabeth, yesterday morning I received a letter from my steward requiring my urgent presence at Pemberley. I fear I have been away too long and there are many estate matters I am required to settle," here he turned to Lizzy with a small smile and added, "which I would prefer to do before we are married."

"When will you leave?" Lizzy inquired forlornly. She was not looking forward to staying at Longbourn without Fitzwilliam.

"Georgiana and Richard will be accompanying me to London, thus I cannot contrive to leave earlier than Monday morning, although I cannot depart any later than that either. We will most likely leave at first light," Darcy's tone of voice seemed to imply he was as happy about the trip as Elizabeth felt.

"That is not all I wish to discuss, sir, as my lawyer has finally completed my proposed settlement papers, and I would like to have the matter concluded before I leave so there can be no doubt as to the legitimacy of our engagement as we proceed," Mr Darcy seemed to sense trouble was brewing and hoped to tie up all the loose ends he could think of. He'd spent the previous night racking his brain for anything that could be used against him and Elizabeth, one of which could be his alleged betrothal to his cousin Anne. _I'll have to talk to Elizabeth about that before I leave,_ he'd determined.

"You seem remarkably prescient, Mr Darcy," the old man said with a satisfied smile. _Yes, I'm quite sure Lizzy will be very well cared for. Nothing seems to escape the young man,_ he mused.

"I only wish to spare Elizabeth and your family any unnecessary accusations or problems, sir," Darcy replied thoughtfully. He knew London would be a battlefield for the Bennet girls, and that the upper echelons of its society could be absolutely merciless in their set downs. He did not wish to burden his Elizabeth with any more than was absolutely inescapable.

During all this Elizabeth had kept silent. It was very unusual for a woman to be involved in talks of settlements and finances, but as neither her father nor Fitzwilliam had said anything about her presence in the room she remained content to listen and observe.

Darcy had been holding on to a rather thick looking envelope for most of the conversation the contents of which he now emptied onto the desk before him, and looked expectantly over at Mr Bennet.

It had to have been the shortest marital contract discussion in history.

Mr Bennet opened the notebook he had found earlier, and knowing Darcy would marry his daughter even if she hadn't a penny to her name, came straight to the point.

"Each of my daughters has a dowry of a thousand pounds, sir, which shall be released to them on the occasion of their marriage, or on their 25th birthday, whichever comes first."

Lizzy knew this was a dismally meager sum when compared to the tens of thousands of pounds some girls of the ton had to their name. She always knew Fitzwilliam loved her despite her lack of wealth, but the realization that she was barely bringing anything into the marriage made her feel ashamed nonetheless.

Darcy, sensing Elizabeth's discomfort, reached out and took her hand in his own with a warm smile. Channeling every feeling of reassurance he possibly could into the hand now tightly clutched by the woman beside him, he was pleased to see her relax slightly as his thumb began to draw circles on the back of her palm.

"I have no desire to touch the funds you have left Elizabeth, sir, although I do wish to add to it," Fitzwilliam said quietly.

Mr Darcy, being obliged to reveal the true extent of his wealth did so in as unostentatious a manner as could be expected from a man of his station.

Apparently society at large had grossly underestimated his true value, which did not surprise either Elizabeth or her father all that much. It was common knowledge that the Darcy family came from generations upon generations of wealthy peerage and as such they had, as some referred to it, 'old money'.

This 'old money', inherited by Darcy after Darcy, had been invested in several estates across the kingdom, and both Mr Bennet and Lizzy's eyes widened as the young man listed his current assets.

"Aside from Pemberley, which alone brings in ten thousand a year from a variety of sources and investments, there is Darcy House located in Grosvenor Square, Duff House in Scotland, and a further two small estates in Ireland – Breffni and Wilmount," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Furthermore, the Darcy family was also in possession of a villa in a town near Naples, for which he paid upkeep but had never visited. All the above, in combination with an extensive list of foreign and local trade investments and the interest immobile funds accumulated yearly, provided the Darcy family with just over forty-thousand pounds per annum.

Elizabeth gasped in a most unladylike manner and would have been reprimanded by her father if he had not been displaying the same expression in complete shock.

It was in immediate and earnest consensus that the trio agreed Mrs Bennet could never know.

"Therefore I wish to immediately settle forty thousand pounds on Elizabeth, in addition to her dowry, should my death precede hers," Mr Darcy continued when his audience had recovered from their surprise.

"Fitzwilliam, you must be mad!" Lizzy exclaimed, "What in the world would I do with that amount of money?"

"Elizabeth, you must understand that personal finances do not long remain a secret in London, and should anyone find that I have settled any lesser amount on you, they may question my regard. I will _not_ have any speculation on the topic of my love and respect for you, and if I something does happen to me I will be able to rest easy knowing you are cared for." He gave her hand a small squeeze of reassurance and continued, "Furthermore, the proposed inheritance of any children we may have is as follows – a dowry of 30,000 pounds for each daughter, the interest of which will not be used but be allowed to accumulate until their marriage or their 25th birthday, and a further 100,000 pounds left to every younger son, the eldest inheriting the Darcy estates in totality."

Elizabeth sighed in surrender, she could not express her shock in any greater manner and resigned herself to simply agreeing with all her betrothed proposed.

Mr Darcy now turned to Mr Bennet with a slightly nervous expression, "Mr Bennet, I sincerely hope you will not take offense at my next offer as I mean it only with the greatest degree of respect for you, and a feeling of responsibility towards Elizabeth's sisters who will soon be my own. I would like to supplement their dowries with another two and a half thousand pounds each."

"William, really, that is far too generous of you," Lizzy exclaimed, although she was pleased at the thought and the assistance the money would provide her sisters.

"I assure you, Elizabeth, it is very well within my means to do so," Darcy said, his suppressed sense of pride returning.

This time it was Mr Bennet's turn to sigh in defeat. Who was he to deny the man anything?

"Very well I shall sign the papers, but I hope you know you have my family's eternal gratitude, young man," he said quietly, reaching for his writing material and sealing the contract with the flourishing stamp if his name and surname.

Truth be told, Henry Bennet, although embarrassed at having to receive financial aid from his future son-in-law, was greatly relieved. He had been deeply concerned for his family's well-being after his death and when Mr Collins married Charlotte he had nearly resigned them to an existence solely by living off of others' good favour. At least now they would have means of their own to support themselves.

"Think no more of it, sir," came Darcy's reply as he turned to face the woman seated beside him.

"I have only one more matter to settle, my dear," he said with a smile, "and that is the date of our wedding."

Elizabeth let out a breath she had not realized she'd been holding, suddenly incredibly relieved the talk of money and dowries, estates and finances was over at last.

"Richard has informed me he expects to be back in London no later than the 26th of March," Darcy noticed with an amused smile that Mr Bennet had returned to his books, completely ignoring the conversation before him.

"So what date would you suggest?" Lizzy inquired.

"He will not be able to join us at Pemberley immediately, so I believe any date in April would be appropriate," her fiancé replied.

"Very well, what do you think of the 2nd then? I do not wish to delay it any longer than absolutely necessary," Elizabeth smiled.

"The 2nd should work perfectly. Obviously, you and your family ought to be at Pemberley at least a week before then, and I would imagine all the other guests would arrive around the 31st of March. I do not have that many people to invite, but I am sure my Aunt Amelia will immediately ignore our wish for a small, quiet ceremony and invite as many people as the church can hold," Darcy agreed with a chuckle.

There were many things that neither he nor Elizabeth would have a say in, but he understood the reasoning behind a big wedding, especially from his aunt's point of view. A wedding attended by a group of very influential people would do wonders for Elizabeth's acceptance in society, though Darcy had no doubt she would manage to be happy even if every member of the ton despised her.

Turning to Mr Bennet, Lizzy drew his attention from his books once more and informed him of the agreed date and venue of the wedding. The man would have protested the distance he would be forced to travel if he had not already heard of the magnificent library housed at Pemberley, and he knew no one would object to him spending every day, except perhaps the day of the wedding, sequestered there.

With all the most important issues settled Lizzy and Darcy arose and exited into the hallway. On a whim, Darcy took her hand and dragged her outdoors as she laughed in protest.

Stepping out of Longbourn on a side of the house that faced neither the drawing room nor library, Darcy drew Elizabeth closer for a kiss and she smiled against his lips.

"I don't know what I shall do without you," she whispered when he finally released her lips and she found the strength to speak.

"Nor do I," he agreed with a sigh, "If there was any way I could possibly remain here I would, but I have not seen to my work properly in such a long time I fear I have become almost as absent-minded as Charles Bingley," he ended with a small chuckle.

"Never!" Lizzy exclaimed with a laughingly vehement shake of her head.

"I shall miss you dearly, my love," Darcy uttered, suddenly turning serious, "but I promise to write to you every single day even if it is no more than a word or two."

"Then I shall most certainly do the same," Lizzy replied as Fitzwilliam's arms tightened around her shoulders and she lay her cheek against his chest.

"The only real happiness I can obtain from returning to Pemberley now is that it will allow us to take an extended honeymoon," he said with a cheeky smile as Lizzy turned her face upwards to gaze into his twinkling eyes.

"That _does_ sound lovely," she said lazily, the warmth from Fitzwilliam's body lulling her into a state of relaxation, "where are we going?"

"That, my alluring, irresistible Lizzy, is a surprise," he replied as he placed another soft kiss on her lips. Before he could pull away, however, Elizabeth stood on her toes and snaked her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Darcy could not protest, nor did he wish to, and so he succumbed to the sweet torture of having Elizabeth so willing and passionate before him, and not being allowed to do more than entangle his hands in her hair and crush her body against his own.

The kiss becoming more and more heated as the seconds passed, Darcy finally tore his lips away from Elizabeth's and breathlessly whispered, "Elizabeth, we must stop darling, or I shall not be able to control myself any further."

Elizabeth felt both thrilled and nervous at the way her body responded to Darcy's touch, and his seemingly did to hers as well. She knew once they were married any semblance of propriety between them would cease to exist, but at the moment she could do naught but look toward that day with anxious excitement.

"I am quite sure this is not the library, William," she whispered, and smiled when he replied, "I shall have to add 'behind a house' to the list then, although that would not serve to hide the true meaning of my words from anyone as there is no place more popular for meetings between lovers than precisely where we are now," he ended by placing a kiss on the sensitive spot beneath her ear.

Giggling, Lizzy untangled herself from Fitzwilliam saying, "You are utterly incorrigible, William!"

"Only when you are around," he replied with an impertinent grin to match her own.

* * *

Returning to the drawing-room, the group discussed their upcoming trip to London.

Elizabeth and Kitty would leave on the 17th of that month if the Gardiners agreed, and Kitty's art master would visit thrice a week to instruct her beginning the following Monday. Georgiana immediately insisted they all go shopping that Saturday, which Kitty informed them would be her 18th birthday. Almost immediately the girls began chattering of theatres and operas, dresses and all the entertainment the city offered while poor Lydia sat quietly despairing at all the fun her sister would be having without her, and lamenting the fact that Georgiana had not yet extended an invitation to her as well.

Attempting to insert herself into the conversation Lydia piped up, "Mr Ferrars stopped by while you were with papa!"

"Lydia!" Mary hissed in embarrassment.

"What? He did. He dropped off more books and asked after papa. Unfortunately, or rather fortunately for he is a dreadfully dull fellow, he left when he heard you were all busy," Lydia continued.

This revelation would have been of far more consequence had Mrs Bennet not descended upon the group at that very moment, and the rest of the visit was devoted to talk of London and what Elizabeth _must_ and _must not_ do, buy, eat, and drink, much to Mr Darcy's discomfort and visible annoyance. By the time he and Georgiana left his expression had returned to one very similar to the night Lizzy first met him. Noticing this, Elizabeth realized it was perhaps not such a horrible idea for him to get away from Meryton, even though she would miss him dearly.

* * *

 **A/N:**

There we go guys! The chapters have been moving rather slowly lately, but there's just so much that needs to be covered that I don't want to rush anything or it may make the story seem like a news report and not, well, a story.

So there are about 2 chapters left before we get to London with all the Bennets, and I'm glad to say I have already chosen 2 characters to include in the story, which will be announced in the chapter after the next.

As always, a big thank you to all the lovely reviewers, and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as the ones before it!


	18. Le Beau Monde

Jane awoke late on Saturday morning. She had lain in bed worrying long into the night and, as a result, slept until nearly noon.

Jumping up with a fright, she frantically pulled on her dressing gown and hurried downstairs. Mrs Gardiner sat quietly at her desk behind a pile of letters and smilingly greeted her niece as she rushed into the drawing room.

"Slept well, Jane?"

"I can't believe I've been so dreadfully careless and overslept on today of all days!" was the girl's only reply as she caught sight of the clock and let out another cry of dismay.

"Oh dear, I shan't be ready in time, and I still haven't even decided what to wear!"

Her aunt laughed lightly, getting up from her seat and walking over to her niece. Steering her back towards the staircase she said reassuringly, "Now, now dear, there is no need to fret. I've already asked Susan to prepare you a bath, and I shall go see about a dress for you right away. The carriage will be ready at two-fifteen which will get you to Matlock house admirably early."

"Oh thank you, aunt, I haven't the slightest idea what I would do without you!" Jane replied warmly, as she hurried up the stairs.

* * *

The warm water did much to relieve Jane's anxiety and she returned to her room with the smallest hint of a smile making its way back onto her face. Jane would have been nervous enough meeting a countess, but the knowledge that Lady Matlock was not only one of the most respected women in London but Mr Darcy's aunt too, made her desperate to leave a good impression for her own sake as well as that of Elizabeth.

Her aunt certainly had not disappointed in her choice of dress, and Jane looked downright stylish in one of Mrs Gardiner's old dresses. Made of creamy, pale silk its rosy-pink hue complemented Jane's light complexion perfectly while emphasizing her soft features while a strip of heavily embroidered silk acted as a belt around her waistline and the white detailing on said belt perfectly matched the white ribbons in her hair. Jane didn't think she'd ever worn a dress quite as fashionable, and it gave her just a slight boost of confidence knowing she would not look utterly out of place in such a grand house as she was about to visit.

Hurrying down to the entrance hall of the Gardiners' home she found her aunt waiting at the door.

"I was planning on sending Mrs Belmont with you," she said, referring to Dorothy and Louis' governess, "but I received an invitation to visit from a dear friend of mine who lives only a minute or two from Matlock house, and I could not refuse, so it is I who shall be accompanying you it seems."

"I'll be very glad for your company, Aunt!" Jane said with an earnest smile, "Truth be told, I am utterly unsure of what to say when I meet Lady Matlock. I am not even sure why she wishes for my company at all!"

"Well, you are bound to find out," her aunt said, shaking her head with a smile at Jane's rather unnecessary worry.

Together the ladies made their way to the waiting carriage and set off in the direction of Mayfair – home to the ton's _beau monde*_.

* * *

Fidgeting nervously as she stood waiting in the entrance hall of possibly the most modish townhouse Jane had ever set her eyes upon, the young woman took in her surroundings. Decorated with the most lavishly elegant furniture, and with enormous paintings of varying subjects adorning the walls, Jane felt decidedly small and insignificant next to such grand tokens of wealth. A colossal chandelier hung from the roof and sent light sparkling brightly against the beige walls and rich carpets as the light outside was fast disappearing in the English winter.

 _'Pssssss'_ a sly hiss came from somewhere to her left. Startled Jane glanced in its direction.

"Are you here to see my grandmamma?" a small whisper came. Thoroughly puzzled, Jane stepped over to a thick curtain bordering the window closest to the only door that stood open. Nearing her destination she noticed two tiny slippers sticking out from beneath the dark fabric and a smile formed. Slowly she pulled away the curtain to reveal a curly haired girl smiling cheekily back at her and holding on tightly to a quaint little doll with both her hands.

As the young girl stepped into the light, Jane was immediately struck by her astonishingly unique features. Although rather thin for what Jane guessed was 4 years old, the girl had rosy cheeks and a thick bush of wild, black curls. What struck Jane the most however was that, in contrast with her slightly tan complexion and jet black hair, her eyes were ice blue.

"Grandmamma says staring is rude," the girl said, sticking her nose into the air and stepping forward.

Embarrassed at her temporary loss of wits, Jane smiled and asked, "And who might your grandmamma be?"

"Well you are rather slow aren't you?" she giggled in reply, "Quite obviously she is my papa's mother."

Jane couldn't help but chuckle at her devilishly impertinent answer, and the mysterious little girl looked up at her in shock.

"All the other ladies always scold me for speaking to them like that. You're different. I like you," she stated matter-of-factly and bobbed a curtsey, "My name is Margaret Valentina Fitzwilliam, and my grandmamma is Lady Matlock although I never call her that, and she certainly doesn't allow me to call her grandma so I'm stuck using Mellie. She says I called her that when I just started talking, but of course you can never trust grown-ups especially not when they are trying to make you call them something other than 'grandma'," the words came tumbling from her mouth in rapid succession.

"Margaret!" a young maid called out disapprovingly as she hurried into the room and, curtseying, made known how truly sorry she was for the girl's unruly behaviour. At that precise moment, the main door opened with a wilful swing and a woman in her early fifties swept into the room leading to the maid dropping into a low curtsey once more, after which she grabbed Margaret's hand and dragged her back through the open door.

"I see you have met my granddaughter, Margaret. I do hope she did not frighten you with her liveliness. I assume you are Miss Jane Bennet, are you not?" the woman said with a smile, although her tone conveyed the amount of respect she naturally commanded.

"Yes, your ladyship," Jane said shakily as she dropped into a deep curtsey, instantly realizing this was the revered Lady Matlock.

The woman's smile immediately widened, "Well I must say I am delighted to meet one of the girls my dear niece and nephew, and indeed my younger son as well, have spoken so highly of in their letters. Do come along," she said, turning to the door she had entered from, "I am sure you are in dire need of some refreshment. I must apologize for barging in unannounced but I do not make it a habit of having my guests shown in by maids. I find it is far easier to get rid of unwanted guests before the find their way into the drawing room."

Jane could see where Colonel Fitzwilliam and apparently little Margaret got their talkative nature from. It was obviously from their mother's, and grandmother's, side of the family.

Jane felt far too out of her element to say much as she walked through the long hallway, awed by its richly adorned walls and the statement of wealth that seemed to be present at every step. At last, walking through a large doorway, she entered what was most certainly the largest drawing-room she had ever seen. The gigantic, for lack of a better word, fireplace was surrounded by plush, luxuriously upholstered couches, and there seemed to be an elegant touch on every surface from the dark ebony tables to the thick, maroon carpets. Although incredibly opulent, it was not excessively so and Jane could do little but admit the obvious taste utilized in furnishing such a room.

Being invited to sit opposite the countess, she took her place on a large armchair and smiled anxiously at the woman across from her.

"You have an incredibly beautiful home, Lady Matlock," she finally said, after trying to think of something proper to say for more than a minute.

"I am glad you think so, I take great pride in all my homes, and appreciate it when others see their beauty as well," the lady smiled back.

Before another silence could engulf the room the woman continued, while Jane took in the particulars of her appearance, "I have heard so much about you and your, what was it, four sisters? I must admit I nearly felt compelled to visit Hertfordshire myself, I had become so insatiably curious."

Jane had been absorbed in noting the lady had the tell-tale blue eyes all the younger Fitzwilliams seemed to possess which was complemented by nearly wrinkle-free skin and light brown hair when she heard her mention visiting Hertfordshire and silently exhaled in relief. She would most definitely not want her mother anywhere near the countess. _At all._

"We live near a rather small town, called Meryton, and I am afraid it would not hold even the slightest amusement for your ladyship as it is, to be entirely honest, a simple country town," she said humbly.

"I must disagree with you there," the woman replied, although pleased at the girl's lack of boastfulness, "for any place both Darcy and Richard find so utterly appealing must be quite interesting indeed!"

With a smile, the lady continued, "Do remind me to thank Darcy for being so dreadfully vague with his wedding announcement in the papers. It has provided me with endless amusement at the expense of several very indignant, very curious ladies these past few days."

Jane was rather bewildered at the countess' open conversation, and couldn't help but notice the similarities between her and Lizzy. She was quite sure they would get along marvelously.

"It must be rather unusual for someone of Mr Darcy's status to marry a woman so entirely unknown by the ton," Jane managed to say after another near-minute of awkward silence. Oh, how she wished her aunt or Elizabeth had taken her place.

"An astute observation, however, it is not utterly unheard of. My eldest, Andrew, married the daughter of a Spanish lord and, at the time, no one even knew her name. She quickly rose in society's ranks, though, and from what I've heard of your sister I am quite sure she shall do the same," she stated, although adding as an afterthought, "but unfortunately not without fierce opposition."

Hoping to turn the conversation onto a more pleasant topic Jane smilingly inquired, "I assume Margaret is your eldest's daughter, is she not?"

Lady Matlock smiled in delight, "Your assumption is perfectly correct! She is such a naughty little thing, but once she has wormed her way into your heart there is very little you can do to resist her charms."

Jane noticed a flicker of sadness cross the woman's face but chose not to pry. It was not her place to insert herself into the private concerns of people outside her family, and she did not wish to cause the woman any further distress.

Although still rather intimidated by the outspoken countess, she couldn't help but like the lady who sat across from her with a melancholic smile.

"I must say she is incredibly intelligent for her age," Jane said softly.

"Ah yes, she takes after her father, although she has inherited her mother's love for music and dance as well. The servants often let her frolic about upstairs when we host balls here and at our main estate," a smile slowly returned to the countess' face, "I must say she provides me with a never-ending source of amusement, as there is not a lady in town she cannot completely discompose or horrify with her cheeky manners. I must commend you for reacting so admirably under the circumstances!" she ended with a chuckle.

At last warming up to the conversation, Jane replied with a warm smile, "I love children, so I suppose I am quite at a disadvantage for disliking them, no matter how cheeky or impertinent."

"Well then I must say you are a quite singular young lady. The women of the ton seem to view children as fashion accessories, to be taken out and dusted off, paraded before friends, and then put away before they become out of style once more."

Horrified, Jane replied fervently, "That is no way to treat a child, and most certainly not your own!"

Lady Matlock gave a knowing smile, pleased that the girl before her was starting to show some spirit.

Another pleasant half hour passed in which Jane discovered the earl and Viscount Fitzwilliam, or Andrew as his mother called him, were out of town on business, and that the annual Matlock House Ball was to be held that Friday. On mentioning the event, Lady Matlock immediately rang for a maid and requested an invitation be made out to Jane and the Gardiners, promising to personally introduce them to a few of her closest friends.

Jane, on the other hand, spoke of each of the Bennet girls, in turn, highlighting Catherine's creativity, Mary's studious nature, and Lydia's liveliness, while having naught but positive comments on Lizzy's character and manners.

Never before had the countess met a woman of Jane's age who was so entirely without the superior airs of the ton, nor did she possess their proficiency for gossip and speculation. She was quite decidedly a breath of fresh air, and Lady Matlock renewed her determination to aid the girls during their first London season as she bid Jane goodbye with a squeeze of her hand and a confirmation of how pleased she was to have met her.

Boarding the carriage with a bright smile, Jane eagerly recounted her visit to her aunt and shared the invitation to the upcoming ball which, of course, neither the Gardiners nor Jane could think of refusing.

With great excitement Jane wrote to her sisters that day, including every particular of her visit, and how much she looked forward to Elizabeth and Kitty joining the party.

Back in Hertfordshire, the Bennets were in decidedly low spirits. The Netherfield party would soon be leaving, and Lizzy knew not when she would see Mr Darcy again before their wedding which irked her and saddened her to such an extent that she had grabbed her bonnet and Spencer with a huff of annoyance and set off to Netherfield, needing neither an invitation, nor further incentive to leave the gloomy house in search of happier company.

Mrs Langdon had returned earlier that afternoon and Kitty and Lydia looked forward to the next week's lessons with admirable unhappiness.

Mr Ferrars, too, had visited again and spent some time speaking with both Mary and Mr Bennet in the library, although the other members of the household had been in such foul moods they barely noticed. Neither did they notice the doctor leave once more and Mary run up to her room, a solemn look upon her face.

At Netherfield, Lizzy spent the majority of her time with Georgiana who, although reluctant to leave her new found friends behind, looked forward to returning to London with great excitement. She was a social creature, although her enjoyment of company and friends had been stunted by her lonely upbringing, and even more so by the events at Ramsgate. The time she'd spent with the Bennet girls had served to draw her out of her shell a great deal, and any sadness she may have felt at leaving their company was quickly forgotten as Lizzy reminded her she and Kitty would be traveling to London less than a fortnight after her departure. Both girls were in complete agreement that Kitty deserved something special for her birthday, and Georgiana seemed to have the perfect idea. She had found an advertisement for a well-known London stationers shop, the Temple of Fancy*, and suggested they visit and allow Kitty to choose as many new paints and pigments as she liked. Elizabeth was rather skeptical of allowing her sister free reign in a store full of art supplies, but agreed nonetheless, admitting that Kitty rarely asked for anyone to buy her much more than a piece of lace or occasionally a few ribbons.

Mr Darcy also finally found the time to tell Elizabeth of his alleged engagement to Anne de Bourgh, and although slightly disconcerted at going up directly against the great Lady Catherine, Elizabeth assured him she was in no way afraid. Her worries were entirely dispelled when Georgiana chimed in, confirming that her cousin Anne was about as eager for the dreamt-up marriage as Fitzwilliam was, and Lizzy let out a sigh of relief at the knowledge she would not be alienating two family members from her future husband and his sister.

Although she did not get the chance to spend much time alone with Fitzwilliam the two did, however, have enough time alone to agree to meet the next afternoon so they would be able to bid each other farewell in the proper manner. Georgiana and the Colonel had both opted for saying their goodbyes after church the next morning as Georgi knew she would have much to finish packing, while Richard wished to avoid any reason to be alone with Catherine knowing all too well it would be impossible to maintain his resolution to leave when faced with her obvious unhappiness at his departure. He had nearly forsaken every last one of his decisions when he saw her at the assembly and did not wish to have his strength of mind tested so harshly again.

* * *

While the residents and guests of Hertfordshire each spent most of the night in thoughtful silence, back in London Mr Mortimer Thornton, former leader of the Bow Street Runners, now an investigator to the rich and mighty, leaned back in his chair and fiddled with the pipe protruding from his mouth. He had done more work for Lady de Bourgh than, perhaps, all the other ladies in his acquaintance combined and he was no stranger to her unusual requests, nor to her seeming disregard for any occupation he may have that would prevent him from seeing to said requests _most speedily_ which, as he knew all too well, meant _right now._ He was well acquainted with individuals from all levels of society, from the most roguish men that thrived in the city's criminal underground, to the adviser to the Prince Regent himself. He had done favours for most of these people as well and carried out many an investigation into their families and their connections, leaving him with the opportunity to ask several favours from a wide range of his so-called friends. Never before, however, had he come across the name of Bennet. At first, he had believed them to be the family who had most scandalously thrown their eldest daughter at Lord Northam's son in the summer of 1809, but he soon realized that had been the Benoit family which he had discreetly made to disappear. They now lived in relative comfort, though nothing near what they had aimed for, in a farming village up north.

The Bennet family presented an enigma. Not a single newspaper announcement besides that which the gracious Lady de Bourgh had included in her letter, nor even the slightest hint of a scandal. Mr Thornton was well pleased with the challenge the Bennets posed and settled upon seeking more information from his most trusted sources at his first opportunity. No family could be so utterly unheard of, and most certainly not the family from which the wealthy Mr Darcy had chosen a bride.

 _There must be something, something most scandalously shocking that has been hidden from plain sight – and if there is, there is no man in London more likely to find it than I, Mortimer Thornton._

With that, the man's eyes fell shut and a minute later a light snore escaped his mouth as his pipe dropped quietly to the carpeted floor.

* * *

*Beau monde - fashionable society, literally 'beautiful/handsome world'

*Temple of Fancy - an actual art supply store from the early 1800s, although now it just sounds like a shop for people exploring their *cough* wild side *cough*

 **A/N:**

Well, well, there you have it! This chapter sets up quite a lot of storylines to follow, and I must say I rather like the snoozy old Mr Thornton. He's bound to play an interesting role in the future. Plus I imagine him looking something like a moustached Eugene Levy. Maybe a tad older.

Also, how do you like little Margaret? She's a real troublemaker as you'll soon find out! And what do you think of the countess? Too friendly? Not haughty enough? I just reckoned the colonel and Margaret had to get their mischievous tendencies from SOMEONE!

Anyhooo,

I AM LOVING THE REVIEWS! Thank you **Jamilez, Happy Lizzy, mangosmum, Lynned13, HarnGin, DetectiveOfTheOpera,** and **Deanna27** for your consistent support, you guys make me soooo excited to carry on writing even though I've been horrible at sticking to a schedule lately.

Have an awesome day everybody!


	19. Teary Goodbyes and Wide-Eyed Assemblies

Sunday brought many teary goodbyes to the people of Meryton. Although no official announcement had been made it seemed most of the town knew of the Netherfield party's imminent departure, and while a few members of the Bennet family stealthily tried to wipe away solitary tears, nearly every church attendee made their way over to the Darcy's and Colonel Fitzwilliam to bid them farewell and a safe journey onwards to London.

At last, the churchyard slightly emptied out, the girls could say goodbye properly. Mr and Mrs Bennet had already left, the latter claiming a headache and insisting on being immediately escorted home, and the former only happy to oblige and return to his books in all haste.

Elizabeth, Kitty, and Lydia pulled Georgiana into a tight hug, although the slender girl was quite nearly crushed with the force of their sisterly affection. Without warning, Kitty stuck out her arm and dragged Mary into the confusion as well, and eventually, all five girls broke apart with teary giggles.

Next were the gentlemen who shook hands with each of the girls, although the colonel seemed incredibly reluctant to release Catherine's hand, and Mr Darcy did away with any pretense, keeping a hold of Lizzy's for the next ten minutes without even the slightest expression of embarrassment at the impropriety of doing so in public. He would have a chance to bid his Lizzy goodbye later, but it most certainly did not prevent him from taking every liberty their current situation allowed to stay as close to her as possible.

At last the three guests ascended into their waiting carriage and rattled off in the direction of Netherfield while the girls turned down the narrow country lane which would lead them back to Longbourn.

Lydia and Mary were the most cheerful of the group and so made their way home at a far quicker pace than the others who fell behind early on, both far too deeply absorbed in their own unhappiness.

Kitty frequently turned to stare into the field beside her, wiping away tears in a desperate effort to conceal her sadness from her sister, while Lizzy fiddled obsessively with the lace on her sleeve both sorrowful at her fiancés upcoming departure, and plagued by a slight sense of apprehension at the thought of facing London without him by her side. Together they made for a rather dismal party.

Thusly the miserable two reached Longbourn, and after a light repast made their way to their respective rooms in silent contemplation.

* * *

Longbourn remained eerily quiet as the sun moved silently through the sky and birds chirped tentatively in the cool air, testing the fortitude of their voices against the forces of winter. About an hour before sunset, while most of the house was still at rest, Elizabeth slipped out of Longbourn's front doors and hurried down the road. She had told Mr Darcy of a ruined old church in the field between Longbourn and Netherfield, which was where they agreed to meet, and as she neared it she strained her eyes to make out whether her lover had already arrived.

Seeing no sign of movement she slowed her pace ever so slightly and approached the dilapidated building in silence. Entering the structure she immediately spied Fitzwilliam leaning against a stone pillar, eyes shut and arms crossed.

Tiptoeing in his direction with every bit of stealth she could muster she had just about reached him when, to her surprise, he unfolded his arms and stretched them out in welcome. With an incredulous smile and not a moment's hesitation, she stepped forward and relished in the intense warmth and protection of his embrace as his arms writhed around her shoulders and waist.

"How am I supposed to leave, Lizzy?" Fitzwilliam murmured as he lowered his chin onto the top of her head.

"You are asking the wrong person, William. If it were up to me I would follow you to Pemberley, married or not."

A small smile came to his face at the thought, "Is it wrong to be giving Gretna Green intensely serious consideration?"

"If so, then my thoughts have been most sinful all day," Lizzy muttered in reply, burying her face in his chest and inhaling deeply.

"I shall miss you with every beat of my heart," Fitzwilliam now opened his eyes and tilted Elizabeth's face upwards so he could look directly into her eyes, "I swear, as soon as I am able I will join you wherever you may be, whether in London or Hertfordshire. I loathe being parted from you any longer than absolutely necessary."

"I shall hold you to your word," Lizzy said, some of her playfulness returning, "however it has come to my attention that you, Fitzwilliam Darcy, have a serious fault in your character," she paused as Fitzwilliam's brow furrowed in confusion. The with a devilish smile she continued, "you often speak far too much for your own good."

For a second Darcy was puzzled; no one had ever accused him of talking too much. As the meaning of her words suddenly dawned upon him he whispered with a shake of his head, "You are maddeningly tempting," as he lowered his lips to hers and felt her body lean into his as the kiss deepened.

What had started out slow, conveying every feeling of longing and pain their separation would bring, was quite suddenly altered. Lizzy had no wish for their goodbye to feel so utterly melancholic so, breaking away from William as he stared at her in slight bewilderment she grinned and, grabbing hold of his cravat, pulled his head down once more as she pushed him back against the pillar. Darcy was far taller than Elizabeth, but even he had to stumble back in his surprise and instant delight at her actions. Smiling against her lips, and wondering to himself how he would survive once they were married, he turned his attention elsewhere letting his mouth roam freely across her exposed skin as he committed to memory every feeling, every taste of his beautiful Lizzy. Thus the two remained for some time, desperate to communicate their burning desire for the other, their fear at being separated, and their fervent promises to find each other again as soon as may be.

Slowly inching towards uncharted and rather forbidden territory, Fitzwilliam once more forced his movements to slow and felt Elizabeth's body relax against his own. With gentle movements he placed a kiss on both of her shut eyes, her nose, her cheeks, and finally her mouth once more, whispering promises of a quick reunion with each.

Lizzy smiled lightly at his words, and blissfully returned to her previous position - tightly encircled by Fitzwilliam's arms, where they stayed quietly talking until the sun was close to disappearing beneath the horizon. Darcy refused to let Elizabeth walk home by herself, more because he wished to spend every minute he possibly could with her than because of a fear for her safety, and so accompanied her to Longbourn's gate where he bid her a final goodbye, placing a chaste kiss on the ring she had not removed once since the assembly, her gloves having been pulled off at some point during their meeting and never having been returned. Just as Darcy turned to leave, Lizzy, in a moment of intense impulse, rushed forward and, pulling him into a tight hug, fervently whispered, "I love you, William, so, so incredibly much," to which the man replied with an earnest, "And I you," as his voice threatened to break.

He disappeared into the dusky evening, leaving Elizabeth to make her way indoors where Mary had only just left her room for a seat at the fire in the parlour with a volume of Fordyce's sermons, and a knowingly suspicious smile on her face.

* * *

Rain and sleet arrived on Monday afternoon, mirroring with great accuracy the mood of the two love-struck Bennet girls. With the new day came new lessons for Lydia and Kitty as well and Mrs Langdon, having been informed of Kitty's imminent departure, set the girl to work on everything but art. Considering she would do naught but paint and draw in London, Mrs Langdon was determined to have her balance out her obsession with a healthy dose of science, literature, and arithmetic, much to Kitty's dismay.

Lydia threw herself into the study of poetry and prose while keeping up her diligent practice of French and Mrs Langdon barely recognized the girl who now sat quietly at the table surrounded by books and writing materials.

Mary had disappeared into the library soon after breakfast and remained there for much of the day, only reappearing for meals and tea every now and then, while Lizzy had received a large bundle of letters that morning which took up the majority of her day.

Spreading the letters out on her desk she decided to read that of her aunt Lillian first. Apart from wishing her well over the New Year, informing Lizzy that Imogen had fallen off another wild horse, and asking after Jane's happiness, she reiterated her invitation for Elizabeth and her sisters to visit Ireland. This was part of a never-ending cycle of invitations and counter-invitations, which neither woman ever acted upon nor did they feel offended when nothing came from their repetitive urgings. Both would only ever promise to visit as soon as they could, even though 'soon' had not yet occurred in the past five years.

A short missive from Imogen was included in the envelope, and Lizzy had to strain her eyes for nearly a quarter of an hour as she tried to make out the horrendous script. It seemed Conor had grown tired of the horse's refusal to move at any pace faster than that of a lame duck and had shouted at the horse to 'stop yer laziness' at which Atticus had, in extreme indignation, thrown his rider to the floor and ran off into the fields. Imogen informed Lizzy she had sworn revenge against her 'empty-headed' brother and would not rest until justice had been served.

Lizzy chuckled at their hot-headed behaviour, pondering over the fact that they would fit in incredibly well with the rest of her family.

Charlotte had also written once more, her letter overflowing with tales of Lady Catherine and her very specific advice on suitable dress colours and the best months in which to conceive a child. Needless to say, Lizzy felt terribly sorry for her friend, although her description of the great Lady de Bourgh only made Lizzy less excited to meet the woman herself.

Jane's letter, full of pretty descriptions of London's entertainment and grand compliments towards the Matlocks, greatly interested all four remaining sisters as Lizzy read it aloud to them that evening. Mrs Bennet only popped her head into the room to hear whether Jane had yet caught a gentleman's eye and, being answered in the negative, walked away muttering something around the likes of the 'bane of my existence'. Neither of the girls took any notice of their mother's complaints.

* * *

Thus the days passed by in relatively quick succession. The four sisters often went walking to Meryton, or to visit their tenants, and not a single day went by where Elizabeth did not receive a note from Fitzwilliam even though one had merely said,

 _'Dearest,_

 _My work has me fully occupied nearly every minute of the day, but I won't have you forgetting just how much I love you._

 _Always yours,_

 _FD'_

Lizzy, having far more time on her hands, always replied in more detail. She told him of the three kittens they had found abandoned near a ruined cottage and how Kitty, true to her name, had adopted all three and provided them refuge in her room much to the shock of the maid who had cleaned the room the next day. She wrote to him of the wedding plans, and the progress she was making with each decision and task and spent at least a paragraph of each letter telling him about the new book she was reading and how dearly she missed him. What Elizabeth did not know was that Darcy, tired and often frustrated by his day's work, devoted a half hour each night to reading her letters in complete silence before going to sleep. They served to calm him, and remind him that no matter the difficulties he currently faced, there was someone waiting for him on the other side.

With such numerous plans and decisions to be made, Lizzy was pleased to see the days pass with ease, each morning bringing her closer to seeing her fiancé once again.

* * *

For Jane Bennet Friday came along far too soon. She had been caught up in a whirlwind of preparations, dress fittings, and learning exactly what the people of the ton enjoyed discussing. As such she was now privy to far more political theories and current gossip than she had ever wished to know before, although she did feel incredibly relieved at being even slightly prepared to face the 'wolves' as her lady's maid had called them.

It would be her first proper ball in London, the first time society learned her name, saw her face, was able to judge her worth, and she would do her utmost best to impress.

She'd spent most of the morning with her aunt, although they had to separate rather early to prepare and, after a long bath, Jane sat before a mirror in a large dressing gown as her hair was styled.

Each lock, and every tress, now pinned to perfection and studded with the finest pearls which her aunt had lent her for the occasion, she turned to her new dress. Peach in colour, it had a wide neckline, leaving her shoulders slightly exposed while the cinched waist was embellished with deep magenta and orange chrysanthemums made of cloth and beads. Her skirt was loose and flowed beautifully, and although such a low waistline was not at the height of fashion one could but admire how wonderfully it flattered her figure.

* * *

During their ride to Matlock house Mr Gardiner, always a lively, charming man, waxed eloquent on the great challenge he would face trying to keep the gentlemen away from his wife and niece that evening, at which both ladies stifled a laugh on his behalf. As the carriage rolled to a stop they were helped down and ascended the stairs, each on either of Mr Gardiner's arms.

As they stood waiting to be greeted by their hosts, Jane couldn't help but notice the curious stares directed their way. More than once she saw a few young ladies point in her direction and proceed to huddle together, whispering frantically. Needless to say Jane felt intensely uncomfortable, but did her best to keep smiling no matter how pointed their looks, or how conspicuous their laughter.

At last, walking through the grand entrance of the enormous townhouse, Jane caught sight of Lady Matlock and her smile became genuinely bright. Next to the Countess stood a distinguished looking man of about 60, dressed in an impeccably tailored outfit, and standing proud and tall as he shook hands with some of the invitees and gave a small bow to others. Though his expression was the epitome of civil, he did not show much emotion although Jane noted that his eyes sparkled jovially as he spoke to, she assumed, a close friend.

On the other side of the countess stood a young man who so visibly shared his mother and father's looks that Jane could have no doubt of his identity; he was most obviously the Viscount Fitzwilliam. He had the tell-tale blue-eyes most of the family possessed, but his height and dark brown hair was most decidedly inherited from his father. Smiling brightly at each person he greeted, he appeared to be a very cheerful man although Jane couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps there was more to him than met the eye.

At last, reaching the hosting party, Mr Gardiner stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the earl, who did the same.

"Welcome to my home," the earl said warmly as his wife stepped closer to introduce her newest acquaintances.

"This is Miss Jane Bennet, dear, the sister of Mr Darcy's betrothed. And you are Mr and Mrs Gardiner I assume," she explained, smiling brightly at each of them in turn.

As the party nodded, curtseyed, and bowed as was expected, the earl spoke thoughtfully, "Ah, I received a letter from Darcy quite some time ago declaring his determination to invest with you, Mr Gardiner. I must find some time to discuss a likewise agreement, as Darcy's financial advice is seldom anything but impeccably sound," the earl said, even though it was common knowledge he had been Darcy's chief adviser after the death of his father.

"Now, John, I shan't have you discussing work with our guests tonight," Lady Matlock scolded, with an amusedly annoyed look on her face.

"Very well, we shall have to postpone such a discussion for a later date, shan't we?" he inquired of Mr Gardiner, who nodded in agreement.

"Now, I _must_ introduce you to my son, Viscount Fitzwilliam," Lady Matlock insisted, pleased to see her husband already seemed to like the newest additions to their list of friends.

"Andrew, dear, do come and greet the latest arrivals," she called to her son who was still in deep conversation with another gentleman who had been part of the party before Jane's.

The Viscount dutifully made his way to his mother's side and bid the three good evening with great civility.

After the introductions were made the party of three were shown to the cloakrooms where they rid themselves of their thick winter coats and pelisses, and met at the door leading to the ballroom.

Taking a deep breath, and grabbing her aunt's hand for a mere split-second's reassurance, Jane stepped forward with her uncle and aunt as the doors swung open and a gush of warm air rushed past them.

 _And so we enter the fray,_ was all that came to Jane's mind as she tentatively stepped into the room.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Tadaaaaaaa!

I am so sorry for my horrible posting schedule lately but, as luck would have it I fractured a bone in my wrist on Monday evening and so writing and typing has been a bit of a pain (both literally and metaphorically).

I'd like to address some of the reviews as I'm still super psyched when I read them and you guys are still as awesome as always;

 **DetectiveOfTheOpera** – Mr Thornton is my own character, which I'm also starting to like more and more as my planning progresses. I had a very narrow margin for creativity while the girls were still in Hertfordshire as there's only SO much you can change about the town while still sticking to relative P&P-ishness ( I hope that makes sense! xD) . Yeah, I really like Jane finding her voice a bit too, and I plan on having each of the 5 girls address an issue women/children/society was faced with at the time they were alive.

 **TLeighF –** I can't believe the flower thing totally slipped my mind! I'll work on a fix for it and get it corrected ASAP! Brilliant catch! Also, the confusion in chapter 15 comes from me switching from the current events Lizzy faces to Lizzy reminiscing about a past experience where she was with Georgi and Darcy. I apologize if that messed up the flow a bit, I'll try make it a bit clearer.

 **Happy Lizzy –** by 'your eldest's daughter' I meant the daughter of her eldest son. Sorry for the confusion!

To everyone wondering who Margaret's mother is, and why the countess is sad, and what Mr Thornton is going to discover about the Bennets, you will just have to keep reading!

* * *

In other news, I am announcing the winners of the **CHARACTER CREATION CHALLENGE (!)**

 **I have chosen 2 characters to include in the story based on (1)compatibility with the planned plot line and the existing characters, (2)level of creativity, and (3)the scope within which each of these characters can be developed.**

As such, it is with super happy dance moves that I announce the winners;

 **(Micaela Royo) - DetectiveOfTheOpera's** Edward Charleston

And

 **HarnGin's** Lady Gertrude 'Trudy' Carrington, along with her extended family

Congratulations guys, your characters were brilliant!

Also, as I would like to keep the characters as much in line with your vision for them as possible, feel free to PM me ideas you may have as the story proceeds, as well as guidelines for how you want the character to interact with other characters and so on and so forth.

Thank you for all the other submissions as well, guys, your involvement is seriously appreciated!


	20. Dance Into the Hearts of Many

Jane had barely taken more than two steps into the ballroom when she noticed the heads swiveling in her direction. The part of the room she was in went eerily quiet then, just as quickly, a wave of whispering washed over the crowd - everyone was deathly curious to know who the newcomers were.

"That most certainly cannot be Mr Darcy's betrothed, can it?" a dark-haired girl asked her companion who merely replied with a sniff of disdain.

"Why I must say Lady Matlock chooses her guests most fortuitously!" a gentleman noted to his friend, admiration evident in his lingering gaze.

"What in the world is she wearing?" another lady hissed to the woman standing beside her.

With such speculation circling the room, it was not surprising to note Jane felt decidedly out of her element as she followed her aunt and uncle to the side of the room. Painstakingly staving off her uncomfortable feelings she turned her attention onto the room in general, taking it in with visible awe. Quite possibly triple the size of the enormous drawing room just down the hall its three crystal chandeliers, polished to perfection, sent glittering shards of light across the hall filling it with a sense of magic. Jane had at first felt overdressed for the occasion, the heavy embellishments on her dress feeling far too grand to wear to anything but a masquerade, but she now realized with relief she was perhaps the most underdressed woman in the room. A sea of feathers seemed to float about the ballroom, and the gemstones and crystals were so numerous their reflections were quite effectively blinding. Every guest had come dressed in the very latest fashions, and Jane could do naught but stare wide-eyed at dresses she was sure even Lydia would be too modest to wear.

So absorbed in her own thoughts was she, that her aunt had to gently shake her arm to snap her out of her trance.

"Jane, Jane, I'd like you to meet my dear friends Lord and Lady Cornwall," Mrs Gardiner said, turning Jane in the direction of a kindly looking couple who stood talking to Mr Gardiner.

"Judith, this is my niece, Jane Bennet," her aunt said pushing her forward as she dropped into a curtsey.

"Well aren't you just a lovely young woman!" the lady exclaimed in delight.

Blushing furiously, Jane offered her thanks for such an unexpected compliment as Lady Cornwall continued. "Marianne has told me so much about you and of course your younger sisters as well. You are from Hertfordshire are you not?" Jane could sense a pattern forming amongst the higher ranks of the ton; they were all dreadfully talkative.

Nodding, she managed to say, "Yes, Lady Cornwall," and then waited expectantly for the woman to continue.

"Marvelous! I wonder if you are at all acquainted with a Mr Bingley?" the lady inquired, oblivious to the sudden blanching of Jane's face as she nodded once again, though far less enthusiastically. Lady Cornwall continued, "His father used to be very good friends with mine, and although he is quite a few years younger than myself I always thought him to be a jovial fellow. I heard he'd taken up lease of an estate in the region. What a wonderful coincidence that you know each other already!" the tirade of words seemed unceasing and Jane could only pray she would not be interrogated on the details of her relationship with Mr Bingley, or any of his family for that matter.

"Mr Bingley and his company took up residence at the estate neighbouring that of my father, your ladyship, and so our families were soon well acquainted," Jane finally blurted clumsily.

"How quaint! If I'm not mistaken both he and his sister ought to be in attendance this evening!" the woman smiled, while Jane's expression turned to the exact opposite.

"Now Judith," came Lord Cornwall's voice, "you must stop overwhelming the young lady with all your gossip!"

"As you wish, dear, but you know all too well I deal only in facts!" came the lady's reply as she returned to her husband's side with a laugh, leaving Jane feeling both apprehensive and relieved.

"I am terribly sorry for having her surprise you with the questions about the Bingleys, dear," her aunt said sympathetically once the lady was out of earshot, "I hadn't the slightest idea that they were acquainted!"

"Do not fret, aunt, I am sure I shall manage to maintain my composure should I meet either of them this evening," Jane did her best to sound confident, her wringing hands the only hint of her true state of mind.

Her aunt, giving her hand a small pat, returned to her friends, leaving Jane to observe the room once again. Just as she was about to make her way to the refreshment table a young man of about 25, with bright green eyes and brilliantly ginger hair stepped forward and introduced himself.

"I know this must break several rules, but I cannot go another moment without knowing your name," his dashing smile instantly turning Jane's cheeks a shade very similar to that of his hair.

"My name is Jane Bennet, sir, and who may you be?" she replied shyly.

"Ah yes who am I, you ask? Why I am the gentleman claiming your first dance of course!" he said with gusto, bowing most dramatically before her.

Jane had not the slightest idea of how to respond, nor could she decide if she liked the absurd young man or whether his brash behaviour was a warning of ill-manners in general.

Seeing her discomfort the gentleman immediately stood up straight and said in an earnest voice, "I truly did not mean to frighten you, Miss Bennet. My name is Henry Somerfield, partial resident of Cumbria and London alike."

"Well, Mr Somerfield, seeing as you have apologized and properly introduced yourself I shall be happy to dance the first with you," Jane replied with a smile which the gentleman returned in equal warmth.

Their smiling silence was interrupted as a frantic woman hurried towards them "Henry! Henry! What in the world are you doing?" she hissed, her ginger locks shaking as she spoke.

"I do apologize for my brother's _idiotic,_ " she gave Mr Somerfield a pointed look, "behaviour, I constantly remind him we are no longer in Cumbria and he cannot go about doing as he pleases and frightening strangers with his silliness."

"Heather! I am deeply offended at your accusations!" the man cried. Turning to Jane he said, "You must tell my dear sister here that I have been nothing but the epitome of class and decorum."

Poor Jane was now utterly bewildered at the exchange before her, and would have remained silent had the girl not shooed her brother away, and once again attempted to apologize for his behaviour.

"I am terribly sorry for the scene we caused, my brother has not adapted to London society as easily as I had hoped."

Feeling sorry for the girl who was obviously very uncomfortable at having to make amends for her brother's actions Jane responded kindly, "Don't fret, it was a delight to make Mr Somerfield's acquaintance, and I am most certainly not the one you should be apologizing to as I too am new to the ton and all its workings. My name is Jane Bennet," she smiled, extending her hand to lightly shake that of the girl before her.

"Heather Somerfield and I must say I am pleased to make your acquaintance," the short, pale girl replied in turn.

Both simultaneously turned to face the rather full room before them, with varying degrees of trepidation. "I have not the slightest idea how I am to survive this event. My brother and Lady Matlock's youngest son are good friends, and he insisted she include us in the invitations. I have not the faintest clue what I should and should not be doing and I can only hope my brother does not ruin our good name entirely. The ladies here seem to be short of nothing but a sense of humour." Heather said quietly.

"I feel quite in over my head too," Jane replied in kind. Just as she began to speak once more, Miss Somerfield huffed in annoyance and interrupted, "I'm terribly sorry to be cutting short our conversation, but I must go see to it my brother does not make a fool of himself again," and with that she rushed off in the direction of Mr Somerfield who was in animated conversation with a group of amused looking gentlemen in the corner of the room.

As though the absurd young man had opened the floodgates, gentleman after gentleman made his way to be introduced to Jane. It was general consensus throughout the gathered party that she was an incredible natural beauty, and she caught the eye of many a wealthy, eligible young man that evening with her Grecian elegance, unassuming manners, and shy smile.

* * *

Just as the first dance was set to begin Mr Somerfield returned and, although she could hear some of the women nearby snicker, she cheerfully took the man's arm and moved towards the dance floor.

Although her partner's conversation was as unusual as their first meeting had been, Jane could not deny the fact that he was a wonderful dancer. The two were well paired, and as they moved across the floor more than one man's eyes wandered in Jane's direction, her dress swinging gracefully as she spun across the floor. As their dance ended Mr Somerfield led Jane off the floor and towards his sister. They had barely reached half the distance to where Miss Somerfield stood shyly talking to a young man who seemed even shier than she, when Jane's partner for the next dance, a Mr Reeding, approached and drew her away from the other gentleman.

Mr Reeding was incredibly handsome, as Jane was forced to admit to her aunt later that evening. He had very light brown hair, and eyes of a matching hue, and although his features were less pronounced than was usually deemed attractive he had a kind demeanour that Jane felt inexplicably drawn towards. Their conversation, too, was exceedingly pleasant as they participated in the second set of the evening, and Jane was quite dismayed when he was called away soon after they had made their way to one of the side tables laden with every kind of treat and refreshment imaginable.

* * *

As Jane sipped on warm tea, she was approached by two girls who looked so incredibly similar she could have sworn they were twins. Both had jet black hair and dark brown eyes, pale skin, and petite figures. What separated the two most decidedly, however, was the cheerful expression on the one girl's face, along with the very visible freckles that were scattered across her nose and cheeks.

"Good evening!" the freckled girl said with a smile as she gave her scowling sister a slight jab with her elbow.

"My name is Adele Émile, and this is my sister Marie," her voice was high and sweet, mirroring her expression perfectly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Jane Bennet," came the reply.

"Oh! Are you any relation to Miss Elizabeth Bennet?" the annoyed looking sister inquired with a raised brow.

"Yes, I am her eldest sister," Jane said softly, doing her best to coax a smile from the woman's face.

"I can see why Mr Darcy fell for a country girl if she looks anything like you do," Marie said coldly with a knowing smirk.

Jane, although gentle and shy, was also fiercely protective of her youngest sisters and she did not take Marie's insinuations well. Thankfully, before she could make a reply, Adele chimed in, "Marie, you cannot speak to someone you have only just met in such a manner!"

Marie snorted, "What? It is only true! Why else would Mr Darcy get married to someone without a single connection to town, and barely a penny to her name? Unless of course she is with child."

"MARIE!" her sister exclaimed in embarrassment and disbelief.

Rolling her eyes, Marie walked off, leaving a very awkward sister behind.

"I cannot believe she would say such a thing. Oh, Miss Bennet, I am so incredibly sorry! My sister has always been the jealous type and so incredibly demeaning when she wishes to be."

Jane was starting to tire of the constant apologies but seeing the distress evident on Adele's face her sympathising heart won out, and she reassured the girl she was not angry.

"I have barely any friends left she has alienated them all most effectively. The only ones that remain are so entirely haughty I cannot bear to stay in a room with them for more than a few minutes."

Unsure of how to reply, Jane attempted a small smile and finally settled on complimenting Adele's dress.

"Oh, thank you! I swear by French modistes, and French modistes alone. Even though I was born here in London, I am Parisian by blood. Both my mother and father were part of the French court but now, after all that has happened between England and France, I fear we may never visit our homeland again."

At last, Jane had found something to talk about of which she actually had some knowledge, never mind that she had learnt it all from Lizzy and Mary. The two girls spent a few minutes discussing the implications of the war and its end, and Jane found herself greatly enjoying the intellectual stimulation their conversation provided. Just as Adele was about to move on to the subject of French fashion once again, though, Jane heard a light cough from behind her and spun around in a fit of nerves, praying it wasn't Charles.

Her sigh of relief was audible when she found the mystery cougher was merely Viscount Fitzwilliam. _Merely,_ Jane laughed to herself, scoffing at the idea that one could 'merely' be a viscount.

"I beg your pardon, Miss Bennet, I did not wish to frighten you" he said graciously, as Jane curtseyed and wondered whether every ball she would attend would revolve around an endless cycle of apologies. Immediately after the thought, she scolded herself for her ungratefulness, telling herself she was starting to sound like Lydia.

"There is absolutely no reason to apologize, my lord," she countered with a smile. Turning back to Adele she asked, "Lord Fitzwilliam, Miss Émile, are you acquainted?"

"We are," came the viscount's reply as Adele nodded in agreement, "my father and Miss Émile's are great friends,"

"That is very true, my father has been asking after Lord Matlock this evening, it seems he has work to discuss," she said, smiling at both Jane and the viscount in turn.

"Well, do not tell my mother I provided the information, but I have it in good faith that my father is at this very minute in the study two doors from here and I am quite sure Mr Gardiner and some other gentlemen have congregated there as well," he replied, at which Adele gave a curtsey and hurried off to make the information known to her father.

Turning back to Jane with a charming smile the viscount continued, "I must say, Miss Bennet, that I am exceedingly pleased my mother invited _you_ and your aunt and uncle to the ball this evening," he said warmly.

Slightly surprised at him singling her out she stammered through her response, "Why, I, well," she said, wondering whether his words were at all appropriate considering the fact that he was married.

At last she gave her head a little shake and managed to respond, "I am greatly honoured to have been invited, my lord, and may I add that I am utterly convinced Lady Matlock is a hosting genius," at which the viscount smiled delightedly and informed her his mother would be very pleased to hear that. Trying her best to think of something neutral to say, Jane settled in inquiring after Margaret. "I must ask how Miss Fitzwilliam is faring?" she asked, hoping that perhaps this would lead to them talking about her mother, and his wife.

"My dear little Margaret is being entertained upstairs, although I highly suspect _she_ is the one keeping all the servants on their toes," the viscount replied with a light chuckle.

"I can imagine!" Jane said with a smile, "She is both lovely _and_ lively, and reminds me so much of my sister Elizabeth when she was younger."

"Lively?" Lord Fitzwilliam questioned with an amused expression, "I'd imagine mischievous is a far more accurate description." At which Jane could merely give a slight nod in agreement, not all too sure if it would be a good idea to call the granddaughter of one of the most respectable peers in the realm 'mischievous'.

Steering the conversation in the direction she desired, Jane continued, "I met her when I visited Lady Matlock for tea on Saturday. To me, at least, she seems to be a very intelligent child," trying her best to sound nonchalant she added, "Which reminds me I have not yet made the acquaintance of Lady Fitzwilliam, is she in attendance this evening?"

Immediately the viscount's face took on a pained expression, which surprised Jane, as he gulped and made his reply in a subdued tone, "I am not sure what you were told, Miss Bennet, but I am certainly surprised you do not know by now. Margarita, my wife, died in childbirth nearly five years ago."

Jane suddenly felt horribly disgusted at her deception. There she was manipulating an obviously pained man into speaking of his deceased wife because she was vain enough to think he showed interest in her. Her self-retribution was severe as she gently offered her condolences, at that very moment gaining clarity on the reason behind little Margaret's impertinent nature and Lady Matlock's melancholy.

"We were married when I was but twenty-five years old, and she had only just turned twenty. She did not live past her twenty-third birthday."

Silence filled the space between the two as Jane's sympathetic nature made her long to be able to say something to comfort the man before her. Abruptly, the sound of music snapped them both out of their thoughts and with a sigh, and then a small yet genuine smile the Viscount asked whether Jane had a partner for the next dance.

As luck would have it she did not, and the two spent a pleasant half an hour dancing with such easy grace and light conversation, while the heads turned and the tongues began to wag almost as soon as they took to the floor. Owing to that marked show of attention from the viscount, Jane's dance card filled less than five minutes after the end of their set, and she found herself without a moment's peace for the remainder of the night.

* * *

Her supper set had once more been claimed by the handsome Mr Reeding and Jane was delighted to be seated next to him at the supper table as well. She was not acquainted with any of the occupants of the seats around and opposite her, although a short, bespectacled man did catch her eye at one point during the light meal, and so she was content to spend the entire repast getting to know her incredibly charming partner.

"Miss Bennet, allow me to reiterate my pleasure at dancing two such utterly lovely sets with you. I have not encountered a more pleasant, graceful dance partner in London," he whispered with an open smile as Jane blushed and hid her reddening cheeks behind her wine glass.

"Mr Reeding, you are far too generous with your compliments," she countered, and giggled lightly when he shook his head vehemently. It was at that very moment that she caught sight of a familiar face. Seated directly next to Marie and Adele, a familiar red-head could be seen staring daggers in her direction. "Caroline," she whispered, at which Mr Reeding followed her gaze in confusion as his own eyes rested on the be-feathered spectacle to his far right. Jane could just make out the side of Mr Bingley's profile from where she sat, but even the thought of him being in the same room as she was made her slightly nauseated with anxiety.

"Miss Bennet, Miss Bennet, are you quite alright?" Mr Reeding asked in alarm, noticing the blood drain from his companion's face.

To Jane's credit she hid her worry well. Turning to the man beside her she reassured him, "I'm completely well, Mr Reeding, I only caught sight of an old acquaintance further down the table who I would rather not run into tonight," admitting her fear embarrassed Jane quite a bit, but she abhorred lying and refused to do so unless it was explicitly necessary.

"Is it the lady who seems to have a quail nesting in her hair?" Mr Reeding inquired earnestly, making Jane laugh at the thought of a quail calling Caroline's hair home as she nodded her confirmation.

"Then worry no more, I shall ensure she comes nowhere near you for the rest of the night," he declared gallantly, at which Jane could do very little smile in thanks even though she still had the eerie feeling she was being watched.

* * *

In truth, there was more than one guest who spent their evening entirely intrigued by the country beauty attending the ball. First and foremost, was none other than Mr Mortimer Thornton himself, family friend to the Fitzwilliams and a man quite decidedly up on his luck at having found a Bennet in such close proximity to his seat at the table. The second, of course, was Mr Reeding who barely took his eyes off Jane all night and made the fact quite obvious much to the indignation of some of the ladies in his circle. Third was, as you may have guessed, the one and only Caroline Bingley who made sure her brother knew nothing of Miss Bennet's presence as she had no desire for the two to rekindle their acquaintance. By the unwitting partnership between Caroline and Mr Reeding, poor, unaware Charles was kept far away from Jane and her family for the remainder of the event. He only caught a glimpse of her as they stepped outdoors in the early hours of the morning and it didn't take much to convince him it had all been his imagination as Caroline dragged him towards the Émile sisters in order to say their goodbyes. Lastly, smiling, unaware Jane was a point of interest to Viscount Fitzwilliam, who couldn't help but glance her way at intervals during his conversation with his mother and close friends. He was not blind and thus her marked beauty made an obvious impression, but it was her sincere, unassuming manners and the kind way she spoke of her family and friends that drew his thoughts, and therefore his eyes, in her direction throughout the night.

The remainder of the event, which lasted well into the early morning, was pleasantly spent in the company of Adele or Mr Reeding at alternate intervals between dances and although many a rich, eligible gentleman danced a set with Jane none quite caught her attention in the manner Mr Reeding had. As the night waxed on she was approached by nearly all the single society ladies in attendance mostly due to their curiosity at the newcomer, or their desire to learn more about the Bennets who had beguiled the sought-after Mr Darcy. Their manners ranged from kind or eccentric, to downright haughty and disgusted that a country nobody had been invited to such a grand event. Jane managed to handle each of the introductions with as much grace as could be expected from a girl in her position, although she did nearly cry when one lady quite loudly stated she would have nothing to do with the 'strays Lady Matlock brought in from the countryside'.

Thankfully her aunt and uncle remained unaware of the woman's comments and Adele immediately rushed over in an attempt to comfort the distraught Jane. It was thus that, after a pleasant hour spent forgetting the vile words of Mrs Camden, Jane departed with her family, in possession of an open invitation to visit the Émile home and a feeling of warmth as she remembered Mr Reeding chivalrously bowing and placing a light kiss upon her hand as he bid her goodnight.

London was proving to be very emotionally trying, but perhaps the good would outweigh the bad after all.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Well, well, well, there you have it. The ball in its entirety!

Mr Thornton, careful man that he is, decided against dancing with Jane as he was rightfully apprehensive at her learning his name, and thus his occupation. He did not want to spook his latest subject of interest.

Can I just say I love ol' Henry Somerfield. So unsuitable for London society, but a delightful character nonetheless. It's no surprise he's Colonel Fitz's friend, and I do so love that he is absurd and shocking to the haughty ton people. xD

SO! I'm DYING to hear what you all think of the new characters!

Let's see we've introduced the Earl of Matlock, Viscount Fitzwilliam, Adele and Marie, the Somerfield siblings, the enchanting Mr Reeding, and of course snooty Mrs Camden.

Oh and the Lord and Lady Cornwall too.

So many new people to keep track of, my goodness!

Anyhoo, the other Bennets will soon be arriving and then the games shall commence in their entirety!

Just so you all know where the rest of ur characters are at the moment, Col Fitz has rejoined his regiment/camp, Darcy is at Pemberley doing his estate-y stuff, and Georgi and Mrs Annesley are at Darcy house in London. And I haven't forgotten about Charlotte or Lady C, they're just on a short sabbatical before they take centre stage, and Mr Collins makes another appearance!

Mr Bingley and Caroline are obviously still in London although a little birdy told me Charles will soon be returning to shut down Netherfield.

Reviewers, thank you for each little bit of input you provide, I appreciate it and also IT'S THE REASON FOR MY EXISTENCE! Actually no, nougat is, but more on that at another time!

Also, welcome to the story **amycampbell** **.378199** and thanks for your insightful reviews! Don't worry too much about Lizzy and Darcy, I'm not so mean as to have them break up NOW, I'd hope neither of them are so fickle in their affection to do such a thing anyway. That is not to say they won't argue or fight, being who they are, but they will always love each other and disagreements/people trying to separate them won't change that. I also really like your analysis of Jane, and I agree with SO MANY of the points you made! Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying the story and hope you stick around for more!


	21. London Calling

In Hertfordshire time passed by as smoothly as could be expected, the lazy monotony of daily life interrupted solely by Mrs Bennet's sporadic bursts of motherly affection and guidance for her second daughter. Accompanying every "I always knew you weren't so clever for naught, my dear," was, without fail, an addition of "you _must_ choose only exotic flowers," or "four courses shall be far too modest for a wedding of such caliber," and Lizzy soon tired of her mother's meticulous instructions and marked attention. The day of their departure could not come soon enough.

* * *

As fate would have it, the second last day before they would leave to London was exceptionally trying for all the girls. Lydia and Kitty had, as soon as their lessons and luncheon was over, sped off in all haste to Lucas Lodge hoping to escape any further comments on thread quality and seating arrangements. That morning had seen Mrs Bennet force Elizabeth into accompanying her on rounds to each of the families of Meryton so that she may, in the most proper manner, be publicly congratulated on her prodigious match. The fawning and jealous comments did nothing for Lizzy but produce an acute feeling of annoyance towards her mother and by the time they returned home even Mrs Bennet's good spirits seemed to be wearing off with the fatigue of their walk and her constant chattering.

It was at such an inopportune moment that Mary informed her mother Mr Bennet required her presence in the library. With a loud groan and heavy sigh at the tribulation, 'that man' was putting her through the woman slowly arose from her seat and walked off at a snail's pace. She had been in the library for no more than ten minutes when the door was swung open and a shrill "Mary Bennet, come here immediately!" filled the air, causing the windows to shake with every word. Each syllable was emphasized with intense anger and poor Mary jumped up in fright, nearly tripping over a basket of embroidery as she ran into the hallway. Elizabeth was so shocked at the sound she nearly fell off her chair.

"Are you an utter fool?" Mrs Bennet could be heard crying as the door slammed shut and loud murmuring took the place of the relative silence Lizzy had been enjoying.

* * *

In the library, Mr Bennet looked, although slightly annoyed, completely out of his depth.

"Fanny, dear, you cannot forbid the girl from getting married, Mr Ferrars is a good man," he said incredulously, trying to make her see reason.

"Please, mama," Mary pleaded, although her face showed barely any emotion.

"No!" came Mrs Bennet's reply, "No. No. No. No!" she yelled, each word slightly louder than the last.

"We shall become the laughingstock of Meryton, perhaps even all Hertfordshire! And what would Mr Darcy think? Why are you such a dreadfully selfish girl, Mary? Do you not want Lizzy to marry Mr Darcy and let Jane and Lydia have nice things and go to balls? Do you hate your sisters so?"

Mary had become very pale and fell abruptly onto the bench behind her, her face buried in her skirt as she leant over in anguish.

 _What if mama is right? What if I am being selfish? Just as Fordyce said no good woman should be! How could I have been so blind? I let emotion cloud my judgment, and let Mr Ferrars lead me to forget my true place._

Hot tears had begun to drip agonizingly slowly onto her skirt when Mr Bennet, for perhaps the first time in his married life, finally decided enough was enough. In space of less than two months Fanny had managed to reduce Jane to tears, almost completely destroy his Lizzy's chance at happiness, and now brought stoic, steadfast, logical Mary to the point where she was quietly sobbing into the folds of her dress. In his youth he had been far more similar to Mary than Elizabeth, always in the corner reading, never included in much of society's affairs, and he knew how difficult it had been for him to make the transition into a more active role. He could understand some of Mary's uncertainty and lack of self-esteem, which Mrs Bennet was only worsening with every word she uttered. Henry Bennet could take it no longer.

"Fanny that is **ENOUGH!** " he bellowed. So loud and abrupt was his outburst that Mary's head shot up, tears still running down her cheeks, and Mrs Bennet fell into her seat in shock.

"I will have no more bickering, no more accusations, no more belittling," his voice seemed to hammer every statement into Mrs Bennet's mind as she opened her mouth to speak, then thought better of it, and proceeded to angrily stare at her husband in disapproval.

"Mary, I have already given Mr Ferrars my consent, although we both agreed on a long engagement so that he may first prove his ability to provide for you," Mr Bennet stated, his tone warning Mrs Bennet not to interrupt. Continuing, he said, "My girl, I will not have you surrender your chance to be happy, or even content, with your life. I have noticed the subtle changes in your character these past months and I am pleased with what I've seen. You are _not_ selfish, Mary, you are merely a young woman in love. I would have hoped your mother could remember what that felt like," he added as his glance turned to the woman in question, whose expression had now changed from angry to annoyed with a slight hint of guilt.

At this Mary began to sob once more as the slightest feeling of relief washed over her body. Beneath her studious nature lay an extremely sensitive soul filled with self-retribution and self-loathing, the results of a life spent being berated and ignored by her mother and society. Even her own sisters had looked past her for most of their lives, and it had not gone unnoticed by the mousey, plain-looking girl.

"I will not have you breathe a word of this to a single soul, Fanny, not until we are ready to make the announcement. Mary can tell her sisters when she sees fit to do so," Mr Bennet's expression extinguished any desire to argue on Mrs Bennet's part.

"I am honestly not sure how to proceed," the man continued, thinking aloud and addressing no one in particular. After a minute of silence, throughout which Mrs Bennet stared daggers at Mary, Mr Bennet cleared his throat once more and made his decision clear, "Your mother and I have many things to speak about, and equally as many changes we need to make in our comportment and style of parenting, and I do not think any of it is appropriate for you or your sisters to be privy to. I will immediately send an express to Edward and Marianne, requesting all four of you girls join them and Jane in London for the season. I am sure they will have no objections, and the change in scenery will do you all well."

Mary was unsure of her reaction towards such news. She would welcome the respite from her mother and, certainly, her Aunt Phillips' berating, but neither did she desire to be parted from Mr Ferrars for such a length of time. He would most certainly find someone far more beautiful, and far more intelligent than she, and would soon forget all about her.

 _Perhaps that will be for the best,_ she mused, although the thought appalled and saddened her simultaneously.

At last she managed to murmur, "Thank you, papa," as the man sighed in defeat and gave her leave to return to the drawing room.

* * *

Mary did not, however, return to where Lizzy was waiting in extreme puzzlement and anxiety, but rather slipped up the stairs and into her room where shefell to her knees and began to pray for guidance after the events of that afternoon. It was only when Mrs Bennet returned to the drawing room, slamming doors and muttering under her breath, that Lizzy realized the magnitude of the argument they must have had and made her way to her sister's room. She found Mary asleep, still kneeling on the cold, hard floor, with her head and arms thrown out over the bed.

With a look of deep sympathy, Lizzy walked over to her sister's side and gently woke her, supporting some of her weight as she arose and fell onto the blankets, exhaustion etching her face with sadness and dark circles beneath her eyes.

"Oh Mary, dearest, what happened?" Lizzy murmured as she swept limp strands of hair away from her sister's eyes.

"Papa has said I must accompany you to London," was the only reply Elizabeth received as Mary's eyes fell shut once more and her breathing slowed. Drawing a thick blanket over her sister's body, Lizzy quietly left the room and shut the door behind her, both anxious for Mary's wellbeing, and infuriated that it was once again her mother's actions that had caused one of her siblings such distress.

As she walked past the library she paused, debating whether or not she should enter, and then making up her mind and lightly knocking on the door.

"Come in!" her father grunted, and she did as he said.

"Ah, Lizzy, you are indeed a sight for sore eyes!" Mr Bennet exclaimed with a forlorn chuckle and a feeble attempt at light-heartedness.

"What happened, papa? I have never seen Mary this weak nor Mama as angry as she is now," Lizzy inquired worriedly.

"I am afraid I cannot tell you the particulars - that is Mary's choice to make, but fear not my dear she has done nothing wrong. It is only your mother who has accused her of ruining the family and destroying her will to live," the man tried to sound amused, but all he managed to do was fill the silence with a hollow laugh and an even more dismal atmosphere.

"All I can say now is that you and Kitty shall be accompanied by both Mary and Lydia, who will remain with the Gardiners until I deem it appropriate for them to return."

Lizzy, seeing her father could not be aided any further through conversation walked over to his side of the desk and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Thus they remained for several minutes as Mr Bennet lightly patted Lizzy's arm, an unhappy smile on his face.

"I wish I could do something to improve the situation," Lizzy sighed.

"All you need to do, my dear girl, is be a good sister to Mary. The rest is not for you to fret over, that is my responsibility entirely! I shan't have you reduced to a ball of nerves mere months before your wedding!" at last the grey old man managed a genuine smile, and Lizzy was reassured things would eventually return to a state of normalcy. Perhaps not soon, but eventually.

* * *

It was an hour later that Lydia and Kitty, having returned from their outing, were informed of Mr Bennet's decision to send them all to London. Both girls rushed over and threw their arms around their father's neck in thankful hugs. Their cheer and affection did much to lighten the man's heart, and the two girls managed to keep the entire house only skirting the edge of despair all of the next day, instead of falling head first into the abyss and never returning.

That Thursday was a frenzy of packing and planning, with an express from the Gardiners' home arriving early that afternoon and stating they would be immensely pleased to host the girls.

Mr Ferrars had been summoned by Mr Bennet that morning and, after a short conversation in the library, the doctor emerged in search of Mary. The two spent nearly half an hour conversing quietly in the corner of the parlour, thankful that Mrs Bennet was currently refusing to come downstairs, and Lizzy was surprised and pleased to see the man gently holding both Mary's hands in his own as they spoke in hushed tones.

The visit did wonders to Mary's mood, and she even managed to play something other than what Lydia called 'music fit for funerals alone' on the pianoforte that evening.

* * *

Thus it was that early Friday morning the four girls set off to London, Lizzy thoughtfully quiet, Mary's nose buried in yet another book from Mr Ferrars, and Lydia and Kitty chattering loudly and excitedly over their prospects for balls and entertainment even though Lizzy noticed Kitty did so with less vigour than usual.

Mrs Bennet had not been seen since Wednesday afternoon and, although it puzzled the younger girls slightly they did not dwell on it all that long. Not when they had theatre, and dances, and shopping, and 'all those fashionable ladies' to discuss.

* * *

Just under four hours later, Lydia, who was seated facing the front as she got violently, and loudly, ill traveling backwards, spied the outline of London looming formidably upon the horizon.

"I see it! I see London!" she shrieked, jolting both Lizzy and Kitty from their light naps and spurring even Mary to stick her head out of the small carriage window for a better look. Lydia and Kitty had never before visited the city, and their excitement and awe was visibly expressed in face-splitting smiles and nervous giggles.

A slight mist had descended upon the city and a sudden, cold gust of wind chilled the weary, yet excited, travellers to the bone. Much was about to change in the lives of the Bennet sisters, and they would face many challenges and heartbreaks as the weeks passed, but for now, all they could truly give any thought was warm tea and equally warm baths.

Several minutes later the road's surface abruptly changed and, with a small bump as the wheels of the carriage rolled onto the smooth stones, they entered the outskirts of the city. A storm was approaching and all the girls could do was hope to survive the battering and emerge stronger on the other side.

* * *

Mr Mortimer Thornton, investigator extraordinaire, was whiskers deep in a letter from his old friend with the Bow Street Runners when a rush of cold air entered through his open window and effectively extinguished every last candle in the room. With a grunt of annoyance he arose, shut the window, and called for his housekeeper to relight the candles with all haste.

"Mrs Higgins! Mrs Higgins! This dreadful wind has left me in utter darkness!" he shouted, as he groped around his desk in search of the letter that had fallen in his hurry to close the window.

He had finally obtained some information on the elusive Bennet family, and had only just begun to peruse the details when the lights had disappeared.

As Mrs Higgins hurriedly relit the candles, Mr Thornton at last located the letter he sought and leant back in his chair, adjusted his spectacles, and continued his reading as one hand fiddled with the pointy side of his moustache.

' _Henry Bennet, esq. brother in law to Edward Gardiner of – in Cheapside, has no known associates of interest. In regards to his wife, I could find no information of worth either. There have been no recent announcements, articles, or trade agreements formed in the Bennet name and the fullest extent of the biggest scandal I could find reached only to Marianne Gardiner, nee Compton, of the Yorkshire Comptons, who was disowned by her extended family shortly before her marriage to the aforementioned Edward Gardiner. I am afraid I found nought in relation to any of the young Bennet women.'_

Mr Thornton was thoroughly perplexed. _Not a single scandal? Could it be the Bennets are nothing but an insignificant country family? Lady Catherine is going to be extremely displeased,_ he thought with a sigh as he reached for his writing materials and began his address to the great Lady de Bourgh.

He would continue to keep his eye on any and all Bennets in the vicinity of London, but he could guarantee no information of value, he wrote. It was the first time in his long, successful career, that Mr Thornton had found not a single scandal, nor a single piece of gossip.

 _Perhaps it only requires that I look deeper,_ he mused, and in a moment of impulsive decision he sent off another missive to an acquaintance in the administration of His Majesty's Army. Perhaps he would be able to find evidence of desertion, or by pure luck a Bennet who had been sent to sea, but even Mr Thornton himself had to scoff at the idea. This family seemed far too inconspicuous to have committed any crimes.

* * *

To say Lady Catherine was displeased when she received Mr Thornton's letter a day later would be a gross understatement. _The cheek of that country, good for nothing, mongrel of a girl!_ she silently fumed.

 _Well! If blackmail is not an option, I know for certain bribery shall work!_ she thought with a devious smile. _Yes, if there is anything those rural savages love more than ensnaring eligible young men, it is a fortune of their very own._

Her mind made up, her decision final, her course plotted, and her goal fixed, she impatiently summoned a servant and sent him scurrying in the direction of Hunsford. That Charlotte girl had mentioned something of her friend Elizabeth coming to visit, and Lady Catherine was determined to be prepared when she did.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Guys, I have a confession to make. After quite a few reviews saying my Mr Henry Somerfield is similar to a Henry Tilney from Northanger Abbey, I'll just have to come out and say it. I've never read the book. Like I was seriously shocked when I found out there was another Henry similar to the one I dreamt up. How crazy a coincidence is that!?  
In other news, OUR GIRLS ARE IN LONDONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN, and Lady C is maaaaaaaaaaad. xD

Let the games begin!

Alright, it's time to review the reviews!

 **Nancieellen –** I really enjoyed your insights into the characters and your comment on Mrs Camden definitely cracked me up!

 **HarnGin –** I seriously hope dear Caro won't soon resort to wearing 'exotic' twigs in her hair in an attempt to create a trend. How absolutely lovely would that be?

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** what can I say? Your review covered so much and mentioned soooo many super insightful observations! I'm really glad you noticed that I'm trying to flesh out the characters just a bit, not necessarily change them completely, but help them develop and perhaps explain the reasons for their actions. For instance, I had a thought this morning, what if Mrs Bennet was experiencing the symptoms of menopause, which is why she had such terrible mood swings, anxiety and irritability, and the like? I mean no one really knew that women went through it, so it could easily be mistaken for mean/stupid behaviour. I'm definitely not justifying Mrs B's actions, but I'm thinking they could have been affected by her changing hormones and all that. I know it's a super sciency sort of thing to go into with a FICTIONAL novel, but I guess Jane Austen's world didn't have much knowledge of it either, so it could be one explanation of many. Mrs B could perhaps just be a bitter old hag too.

And also, GO JANE! xD

 **.378199 –** Yes we're in January! Actually I changed the P&P timetable a bit allowing Charlotte and Mr Collins to Marry mid-December instead of January, and therefore Lizzy and the Lucases will visit in February, not April. I have lots in store for the Viscount, as well as for Mr Reeding, and they still have loads of development in store. And thanks for your great reviews! I really enjoy reading them.

 **TO ALL THE BEAU MONDE OF REVIEWERS,**

 **Merci! Merci beaucoup!** I am LOVING the thoughts you guys are sharing on EVERYTHING! And yes, I feel a little diabolical for having you all confused between Mr Reeding and Viscount Andrew. Whomever shall Jane choose!? Will Andrew even make it known that he IS a choice? Jane has quite a bit of growing to do too, let's hope she doesn't take forever.

And also, HOW PATHETIC IS MR BING-BING . Look, I have nothing substantial against book, or movie, version Charles Bingley, but UGH. He is so incredibly gullible, Lydia is going to chew him up and spit him out in heartbeat. I just always seemed to think he didn't have much of a backbone allowing his sister to walk all over him the way he did. I don't know what Darcy sees in him. Perhaps he reminds Darcy of 14 year old Georgiana. You never know.

Anyhoo, Thanks again for sticking around, you guys make writing this story worth it!


	22. London Town

Having arrived before noon on Friday, the Bennet girls spent the remainder of the day eagerly sharing their news and being enraptured by Jane's account of the Matlock ball and all her new acquaintances.

Lydia swooned at the description of handsome, rich Mr Reeding but even she was not so malicious as to steal Jane's newest gentlemanly suitor. _Viscount Fitzwilliam sounds perfect if only he didn't have a child! I am most certainly not mother material! Running after little brats all day long, NOT ME!_ she thought with a laugh.

Lizzy seemed very interested in the Somerfield siblings, however, but when Jane repeated what Mrs Camden had said she turned bright red in anger. _How dare she? I shall be sure to make her regret her words!_ she fumed. Ah yes, love may have softened dear Lizzy's heart, but it had not extinguished her fiery temper and urge to protect those she held dear.

Kitty's silence on the matter of gentlemen and dances stoked Jane's curiosity but she did not find the opportunity to inquire into her sister's sudden change of heart as Mary, who had been seated on the edge of the bed on which all five girls had congregated, quietly cleared her throat and waited for her chance to speak.

As four pairs of eyes swiveled expectantly in her direction she suddenly felt the weight of her announcement in its fullness, and nearly decided against saying a word if it wasn't for Lizzy's sudden, encouraging smile. With a slight stammering start she said, "I, um, I have some news," and paused for far longer than she had intended as interest sparked across all four her sisters' faces.

"I'm to marry Mr Ferrars, and papa has already given his consent even though it has to be a long engagement," she finally said, her words tumbling over each other in rapid succession, forcing the girls to take a few seconds to make sense of her announcement. Lizzy and Lydia were the first to shriek in delight, followed soon after by Kitty and Jane who tumbled across the bed and nearly crushed Mary in their embrace.

"Oh, congratulations! I am so happy for you, dearest!" Jane exclaimed, "What did mama say?"

Immediately Mary's face fell and Lizzy, realizing this had been the source of their fight, quickly interrupted, "Oh you know mama, no one is ever rich enough for her taste," then turning to her suddenly serious looking sister she said, "all I can say for sure is you will make the most beautiful bride!" Mary beamed, totally unused to the attention.

"We can't tell anyone until papa makes the announcement, but he did give me permission to tell you. I am so glad that he did!" she said, with more emotion than any of her sisters had ever seen her display before. It warmed Elizabeth's heart to see her younger sister drawn into the conversation and for once be the source of excitement. Much of the afternoon was spent discussing the particulars of the proposal, and whether she would write to Mr Ferrars now that they were engaged, at which she said she would although their letters would still have to pass through Mr Bennet so as not to start any premature gossip.

"Papa? Read the letters I give to my beau? I would rather die of, what's the name again, oh, Typhoid!" Lydia exclaimed dramatically as she fell backward onto the bed and nearly knocked Kitty off in the process.

"Lydia!" Kitty yelped as she stood, declaring she was far too hungry to remain in the room and made her way towards the staircase. If anyone had taken a closer look at her face they would have noticed the solitary tear slipping along her cheek as she quietly left the room while Lizzy scolded Lydia for her insensitivity at jesting over such a serious illness. Kitty, tears now streaming freely down her pale cheeks, sat down heavily on the staircase and allowed the anguish to take over her body as it shook with each sob she gave. _Why am I the only Bennet who can't seem to keep a man's interest?! Even Mary, plain, quiet Mary is engaged! How am I supposed to find a husband this season if my heart is too broken to even try?_

"Kitty," a soft voice called from below her, "Kitty, dear, why are you so distraught?" her aunt gently questioned, making her way up the stairs and taking a seat next to the red-eyed girl.

"I am such a fool, aunt!" Kitty exclaimed as another sob racked her body, "Back home all the officers only ever wanted to dance with Lydia, and then when Colonel Fitzwilliam came along and became my friend I thought finally, finally someone truly _noticed_ me. And then he left without a backward glance!" she tried wiping away her tears but that only made them stream down her face much faster, "He told me we could only ever be friends, and then he left! I should have known I could never be good enough for him."

Throughout this outburst Mrs Gardiner had merely held Kitty close, stroking her hair, and allowing her to speak. When she finally seemed to have uttered the last of her thoughts the woman gently made her reply, "Kitty, my dear, having your heart broken by someone you love is never an easy experience. I cannot tell you when it will get better I can only assure you that it _will._ It will get better, my dear girl." Kitty's sniffling had finally begun to die down, which encouraged Marianne to continue, "Love is a very strong emotion, and it does not simply disappear because someone wronged you. You have to give your heart a chance to hurt, and then to heal but believe me, Catherine, it **will** heal and you will find someone who sees your true value and beauty; someone willing to fight for you against any odds. You are so special, my girl, you must never forget that."

Kitty's grip on her aunt's sleeve loosened slightly as she lifted her head, a shameful expression on her face, "You must think I am an utter emotional mess," she laughed as a few more tears dripped onto her skirt.

"Of course not! You forget that I, too, was young and in love once," her aunt said lightly, patting her niece's hand as she spoke, "My family wanted nothing to do with your uncle but I was so desperately, madly in love that I gave up all my inheritance so that we could marry," a small smile played on Mrs Gardiner's lips as she thought back to the days where every small disappointment had seemed to be the end of the world.

"Have you ever regretted it?" came Kitty's shy question.

"Not even for a second!" her aunt replied without a moment's hesitation, and Kitty marvelled at the lengths her aunt had been willing to go to for real, steadfast love. Marianne continued, "If I hadn't fought to marry your uncle I would never have met you and your sisters, and my dear Louis, Dorothy, Emma, and Benjamin, they wouldn't be a part of my life. No, I could never regret marrying my best friend, no matter what anyone else may think."

Kitty could see the wisdom in her aunt's words. _If Colonel Fitzwilliam ever truly loved me he would have fought to stay,_ she mused with an unhappy sigh, _Perhaps his departure was meant to be after all._

Wiping the last traces of moisture from her face she stood slowly, whispering her embarrassed thanks to her aunt who merely tucked a stray wisp of hair behind Kitty's ear and suggested they go downstairs for tea. They were soon joined by all four the Gardiner youngsters who managed to put a smile on their cousin's face in record time. Not a word of Kitty's breakdown on the staircase was said to any of the household members.

* * *

Lydia was the first to awaken on Saturday morning. All the girls, and Mrs Gardiner, were to go shopping that very day and she could barely contain her excitement.

Lizzy had written to Georgi and Darcy on Wednesday evening, informing them of the change in their plans, and so Georgi had had ample time to adjust her plans to include the two extra guests, while Darcy had written to inquire whether he could do anything to help the situation.

Assuring him all would be well, Lizzy once again wrote how dearly she missed him. She had become used to his calming presence, the way he smiled when they were alone, and his boyish sense of humour to which none but she was privy. Most dearly however, she mourned the loss of his physical presence, his smell, his protective embrace, and the way one minute he kissed her as if she may break at his touch, and the next he set every inch of her body on fire with his passion. Her William was a living, breathing contradiction in many ways, and she loved him for it.

So it was that Georgiana and Mrs Annesley arrived at the fashionable hour of noon that Saturday in a grand, gilded carriage, and the Bennet girls and their aunt excitedly piled aboard. After giving Kitty a warm hug and wishing her well on the anniversary of her birth, Georgi informed them their first stop would be Madame Devy's - arguably one of London's most acclaimed modistes. Mary looked at Lizzy and her Jane in slight worry, knowing the girls' pin-money wouldn't be nearly enough to afford even one dress at such a well-known institution. Lizzy, noticing her sisters discomfort quickly leaned over and whispered, "Do not worry about the money, Mary, papa has sent Uncle Gardiner a sum large enough to afford at least a new dress each." At that, the girl sighed lightly in relief and by the end of their visit, even she seemed to be catching on to the excitement. The truth of the matter, however, was that although her father _had_ sent a substantial sum along to Mr Gardiner, her uncle himself had added nearly double its value to it without breathing a word to any of the Bennet sisters. Lizzy had wondered at her father's willingness to part with such a large sum, but eventually convinced herself he was perhaps trying to make up for the pains her sisters had to go through under the care of their mother.

After depositing Mrs Annesley at an old friend's house, the party made their way to the fashionable shopping region of the city. Madame Devy's was unlike anything the girls had seen before. A large, elegantly built shop with huge glass windows and a prettily engraved sign constituted its exterior, while a large, bright chandelier could be seen hanging inside, right above a roaring fire. The walls of the room were covered in samples of cloth and other materials hanging heavily from rods fastened to the roof. It seemed to be a veritable treasury of fashion. Lydia and Kitty rushed inside in great excitement, and to their surprise a very tastefully dressed lady suddenly gave a loud cry, raised a posy from her desk to her nose, and hurried to the back of the room exclaiming, "Such street urchins, and in la boutique!" as she glanced at the two girls in dismay.

Both their faces immediately turned bright red and their eyes fell in embarrassment. They would have hurried out too, if Georgiana had not walked up beside them and, taking one of their hands in each of hers, pulled them over to the woman whose mouth now hung open in shock.

"Mademoiselle Darcy! Que fais-tu ici avec ces filles? " she exclaimed. (Miss Darcy! What are you doing here with these girls?)

Before Georgiana could make a reply however Lydia, having gotten over her embarrassment impressively quickly and now feeling rather annoyed with the way they had been treated, replied in her stead.

"Nous sommes ici pour commander de nouvelles robes. C'est une couturière, n'est-ce pas, ou avons-nous trouvé un tapissier par erreur?" she enunciated each word with impeccable French elegance.

(We are here to commission new dresses. This is a dressmaker's, is it not, or have we come to an upholsterer by mistake?)

The woman's face immediately fell, and she lapsed into English once more saying, "I am terribly sorry, ladies, I did not mean to offend you!" in a sickly sweet tone, adding "What can I provide you with on this lovely day?"

Lydia and Kitty did not seem impressed with her sudden change of attitude but said nothing as Lizzy, Jane, Mary, and their aunt walked in and began to examine the different fabrics available with great interest.

* * *

Their visit to the modiste, although it had begun rather awkwardly, was most certainly worth their while. Madame Devy, the lady who had been so flabbergasted at the appearance of Lydia and Kitty's simple dresses, proved to be a veritable genius when it came to choosing the patterns and colours to best suit each girl. Jane had blue and beige once again assigned to her, although the dress the lady had in mind would use several shades of the colour, along with a heavy helping of crystals in matching tones. Elizabeth as usual had requested something simple and was recommended a deep royal purple dress with a rather daring, yet tasteful, cut and a brilliantly white shawl to compliment it and provide some sense of modesty. The Madame insisted she wear purple to her first ball as a mark of her "new status in society" and to show off her sophistication and elegance.

Mary, always the practical one, requested a dress which could be used both for assemblies and her wedding. She was sure neither she, nor Mr Ferrars, would be able to afford a new dress when they were finally to be married and decided to make optimum use of the opportunity she was presented with. To suit her darker complexion and plain features, Madame Devy chose a beige dress with peach lace and glossy white ribbons. The pattern was modest, yet stylish, and Mary was visibly pleased with the concept.

Kitty, who wished to be a little more daring, delighted Madame Devy by simply stating she had absolutely no preferences regarding her dress and would give the lady free reign to design whatever she thought would suit her. With an excited smile, her earlier misunderstanding long forgotten, the woman exclaimed in delight, "Ah! Mademoiselle Catherine! You are indeed a free-spirited creature and I am delighted with your challenge! I shall not fail!" at which Kitty, for the first time that day, smiled too, her mood lifting ever so slightly.

Lydia, who had very, very particular taste and an obvious dislike for the woman who had treated her as inferior, kept poor Madame Devy busy for the better part of half an hour. Nothing quite suited her. The aquamarine silk was too blue, the muslin too thick, the ribbons not long enough, and the lace just "not quite what I had in mind". By the end of their visit the lady was properly flustered and her sigh of relief was audible as the party left the room, Georgi having only been fitted for a few dresses she had chosen several days ago.

* * *

Their next stop was the milliners, where each of the girls split up as they excitedly browsed the enormous collection of hats and bonnets available. At some point both Jane and Lydia ended up admiring the same bonnet in a corner of the room. They were discussing the pattern of its dainty lace when their eyes were drawn to a very richly attired woman of about forty entering the store, followed by an equally opulently dressed girl of about twenty, who wore her scowl with impressive elegance.

For a second a flicker of recognition crossed the younger woman's face as her eyes rested on Jane, and she haughtily sauntered in their direction. "I would certainly not choose that bonnet if I were you," her voice rang out as she approached Jane and Lydia's corner. "It would be frightfully mismatched with your, well, your rather poor looking dresses," she smirked as Lydia's expression changed from impressed to decidedly annoyed, "I doubt you can afford it, anyway."

Lydia had had just about enough of all the snooty comments she'd been privy to that day and, to Jane's visible horror, replied, "Well it wouldn't suit you all that well either. I'm afraid your head is just far too big!" At which she grabbed Jane's hand and dragged her towards her aunt and Lizzy, leaving the woman gaping angrily in their direction.

As Lydia, with the pretty bonnet still in hand, made her way to the front of the store along with her sisters, aunt, and Georgiana she heard the shopkeeper nervously addressing the older lady who had been browsing their collection loose lace, "I apologize most humbly, Lady Devonshire, but we have not yet received your order of lace. I have not the slightest idea why it has taken so dreadfully long." The poor man seemed to be shaking in his excessively polished boots.

"Not here, you say?" the lady screeched angrily, "Then why, oh why, do I pay you the amount I do?!"

The young man's eyes embarrassedly flicked in the Bennet party's direction, obviously hoping they would not leave after hearing the revered Lady Devonshire's outburst.

"Samantha! Samantha!" she shrieked as the rude young woman Lydia and Jane encountered earlier lazily made her way over to where Lady Devonshire stood.

"Samantha, we are leaving this instant! Rest assured we shan't return, and I shall ensure everyone knows that good service here is entirely non-existent!"

With that, both women stalked out of the doors and out of sight.

Georgi, who felt sorry for the young man standing at the desk, a light sheen of sweat covering his forehead, walked over and offered a sympathetic smile as she paid for their purchases. The bonnets and hats were to be a gift from her and Mr Darcy.

"Miss Darcy, please, please accept my apology for the outburst you were made to witness. I hope you know this is highly unusual," the shopkeeper said earnestly.

"Do not give it any thought Mr Finch, we are all aware of Lady Devonshire and Lady Kepell's poor behaviour when it comes to shopping," Georgi replied, bringing the slightest sliver of a smile back to the man's face.

With that, all seven women made their way back to the carriage and set off to their third, and final, destination – the Temple of Fancy.

It was there that Mrs Gardiner's love for shopping was seen in all its splendour, and Kitty's fascination with art gave her the optimal opportunity to soothe her niece's aching heart with gifts, even though the effect may only be temporary.

To say Catherine Bennet was ecstatic at being given the opportunity to pick and choose whatever she pleased would be the understatement of the century. For the first time in week,s she was so utterly giddy that she bounced from one foot to the other, waiting for the rest of her party to alight from the carriage.

Both Lydia's feet had only just touched the ground when Kitty sped off in the direction of the front door. Stepping inside the brightly lit room she came to a standstill as her eyes widened at the sight before her. The shop was enormous. Every inch of wall was hidden by shelf after shelf of paints, pigments, brushes, canvas, paper, and the most delightful trinkets to experiment with. Right at the back stood a gigantic bookshelf with hundreds of volumes on mixing colours and descriptions of foreign lands and people to inspire new art. A jolly looking old man stood behind a desk to her right, chuckling lightly at Kitty's awe from behind his thick rimmed spectacles. The girl reminded him of his own love for art and he was delighted to see such emotion in someone so young.

The rest of the group had now congregated around Kitty, not all too sure what they ought to be doing and, as Kitty remained transfixed by the scene before her, they eventually wandered off in pairs to explore the store, which was quite possibly as large as a warehouse.

Kitty, who had suddenly found herself without the slightest idea of what she should buy, slowly walked off towards the books hoping they would give her some ideas. She had only just passed the large front desk when the cheerful elderly gentleman called out to her, "Can I be of assistance to you, Miss?" he said with a smile revealing a set of bright, perfectly white teeth.

"I suppose you could, sir," replied Kitty, warranting a guess that the gentleman would be far more help than a mere book.

"Well, what exactly are you looking for?" he inquired as he shuffled to Kitty's side.

"That, sir, is my dilemma! I adore painting, but I'm afraid your collection is so large I won't have the slightest idea where to begin!"

The man smiled delightedly, "Well it is the _Temple_ of Fancy, is it not? It's bound to mystify you a bit or it wouldn't be a temple at all!" Slowly making his way towards a set of shelves on the far right of the room he called out, "I believe I have just the thing for you!"

With a giggle, Kitty ran off after the man for the moment forgetting her sadness and chattering animatedly about London and how she would soon be studying with a master. The gentleman listened with admirable concentration, and seemed to be thrilled by the lively, friendly young girl.

At last reaching the very end of the aisle, and coming to a stop before a set of shelves filled with dozens and dozens of tiny pots, the man turned to Kitty and said with a mischievous smile, "I assume you prefer painting nature; plants, landscapes, starry skies, and the lot."

He had said this with such surety that it took Kitty quite a while to realise she had never said a word about her painting preferences. Her eyes sparkling in delight, she eagerly inquired, "You are entirely correct, sir! But how did you know? I never once mentioned anything about plants or nature!"

"I have a knack for guessing those sorts of things. Always have and it seems I always will!"

Turning to the section of supplies before them he continued, "Now, here we have the very best pigments for mixing and blending, which you know is of great importance to your style of painting, and over here," he said shuffling a little to the left, "we have the finest paintbrushes in my collection, perfect for detail work."

He handed Kitty a basket in which to place her supplies, excused himself and lumbered off once more, happily making his way to the other side of the room.

Kitty could not believe the range of paints available. As she browsed she mentally ticked off all the colours she wanted, but didn't yet have. _Lilac, burgundy, burnt sienna, vermilion, oh and of course white, I've almost run out!_ After filling her basket with paints and brushes she wandered through the rest of the aisles, running first into Georgiana and Lydia who were browsing through the books she'd noticed earlier, and then finding Mary, Jane, Lizzy, and her aunt all assembled in a section of canvases. Her aunt was instructing a young boy to collect and wrap up several enormous blank canvases, and Kitty was both shocked and euphoric at being informed they were for her use alone. After thanking her aunt with a wide grin and a bear hug, she continued her stroll. As she neared the very last aisle at the very end of the room a young man of about twenty-five caught her eye. With long dark hair, grey eyes, and tan skin he looked incredibly mysterious, and she had to admit his strong build greatly added to his general appeal. She had just stepped into the aisle properly when he looked up from the basket he was carrying, noticed her, and broke into a small, shy smile. The two stood awkwardly staring at each other for several seconds and Kitty had _just_ built up the courage to introduce herself when Lydia's voice boomed from near the front door, "Kitty! Kitty! Are you ready to leave?" With a light blush she hurried past the young man, being able to do no more than return his smile as she made her way back to her sisters and friends.

Dropping the basket onto the desk where the old gentleman stood, she absent-mindedly watched as he wrote down the names of its contents and transferred each item into a big wooden box, her thoughts still fixed on the man she'd almost, nearly, spoken to just a minute ago.

 _I wonder if he's an artist too,_ she mused, her cheeks still slightly warm.

Suddenly the old man's voice broke through her revelry, as he bent down to pick something up from the chair beside him. Placing a small, curious looking pot on the table he explained, "Now I must admit this specific shade has not yet been tested, but I mixed it myself and would like you to have some of it. Think of it as a trial! If you like the colour, let me know, and I shall make it available to the public."

Kitty beamed, her mood greatly elevated, as she took a better look at the small container. It seemed to be some sort of metallic paste and she her thoughts were immediately bombarded with the possibilities it presented. Just as the last item was carried off to the carriage by a rather tired looking footman, the old man once more reached to his chair and handed Kitty a leather-bound book.

"I quite forgot to introduce myself earlier, you know, my name is Lucius Winthrope. I've been looking for the right person to give this book, and I hope you'll be as enchanted by it as I was! Your aunt informed me it is your birthday today and what sort of gentleman would I be to let you leave without a gift?" his cheery voice rang through the air.

"Why, thank you for your generosity Mr Winthrope! I shall treasure it greatly!" Kitty replied, noticing the title ' _Nature and People of the New World'._ As an afterthought, she added, "And, as I forgot to introduce myself as well, I must at last inform you my name is Catherine Bennet."

"Well, Miss Bennet, I wish you the most delightful of days!" Mr Winthrope called out as Kitty followed her sisters to the door, turning to give the old man a quick wave as she stepped outside and hopped into the carriage.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Alright, bit of a filler chapter here. I promise the momentum will increase!  
I really wanted to chat a little bit about each of the Bennet sisters and perhaps Georgi too. I'd love to hear your insight into each of their personalities as well, as I really enjoy seeing things from someone else's perspective. To me, Austen seems to have chosen 5 different personality types that exist in the real world and perhaps amplified their unique characteristics a little. There seems to be a little bit of each of the sisters that we can relate to in some way.

Jane, in my opinion, is kind and unassuming to the point where she lets people take advantage of her in many ways. She believes in the legitimacy of appearances and is far too easily convinced that things are exactly as they appear. Unfortunately, people like Jane don't go through life floating on past rainbows and candy-coloured clouds. Eventually, they have to learn to be more cautious with their conclusions and I hope that in some way we can get Jane to do so in this story without totally ruining her gentleness and content nature. I'd also like to see a little bit more of the same decisiveness she showed when rejecting Mr Bingley.

Lizzy is often portrayed to be the opposite of Jane, but in my opinion Jane's true opposite is Lydia. Lizzy is sweet and kind, but she does have a more cynical streak, and obviously lots of stubbornness too. That stubborn behaviour means her relationship with Darcy won't always be smooth sailing, but I do think Darcy needs someone to challenge him every now and then.

Mary, dear plain Mary, is growing to be more open-minded and less stoic, but I don't think it will do her justice to change her completely and turn her into another Lizzy. She's smart, disciplined, modest, and a little awkward, and I don't see the need to change any of that. Those aren't 'bad' traits. I just think we should see her develop the personality she possesses into something she is able to control/use within society, and Mr Ferrars is definitely going to play a role in her achieving that. You guys might underestimate Mr Ferars because of his shyness, quiet manners, and the fact that he is not as openly affectionate as Darcy is, but he most certainly loves logical, yet sometimes sensitive, Mary and sees her immense potential. Also note that Mary quite possibly hides her sensitivity and pain (from her family/society not taking notice of her) behind the "I don't care about people's opinions" façade.

Kitty, who is at the moment my favourite character to write for, is as complex if not more so, than Mary. She's the joking, loud, rambunctious one who, like Mary, hides her insecurities behind endless giggles and jokes. But I'm also trying to take a closer look at the effect being the 'silly' and 'not THAT pretty' sister has on her. As you can see she has lots of lapses in self-esteem, and the only time she really feels confident is when she's painting or drawing, or making fun of something. It helps her escape from the reality that she too is overlooked by most of Meryton, and that in the end she isn't all that different from her 'dull' and 'boring' older sister. Kitty needs to find her confidence, and perhaps learn that love isn't ONLY passionate, selfish, and impulsive, but also thoughtful and a force that makes you want only the best for the person you love.

Lydia. Lydia is such a joy to write. She's loud, painfully honest, showy, and often selfish, even though she does love her sisters. I mean c'mon guys, she's 15! Who here, at 15 years old, was super sophisticated, poised, and the epitome of what a 'young lady' ought to be? Lydia is moody, impulsive, and still has a very, very unique view of the world. She loves her sisters, but sometimes they seem so utterly droll she just can't stand them. And of course, being the youngest, she feels the need to act out so that she gets enough attention. But she's also smart. And fiercely protective of herself and her family, so I'm happy with the way she's handling London so far, not giving a damn about the high and mighty. I wrote her character in such a way because, if she was simpering and running around after the ladies of the ton she would be no better than Caroline Bingley. She's going to be fun to watch in London!  
And lastly, Georgi, who is developing a sense of fun and humour after years of isolation from other girls her age. Lydia might not be the BEST influence, but for now she is the influence Georgi needs. So is Kitty, and Lizzy. Even though she is shy, and a bit overwhelmed by the outgoing Bennets, she does her best to fit in and by doing so her character is lightening up ever so slightly.

So there you have it! My comments on each of the main female characters. What do you think? Is there anything you disagree with or want to add?

As always I'd like to thank all of you for your reviews. I will address them individually after the next chapter. And for those of you wondering why Mr B sent all the girls away; the main reason for this is because he and Mrs B don't ONLY need to work on their parenting skills, but their relationship as husband and wife as well. Their parenting style needs adjustment, but so do their attitudes to life in general and I don't think it's necessary for any of the sisters to be around for it.

Until next time, Cheerio!


	23. Monday Blues

The final stop for the Bennets that day was Darcy House. Here, Georgi had arranged for a feast of cakes and sweets, pastries and meats to be set out along with fresh bread and piping hot tea. All the girls were incredibly thankful for the spread and wholeheartedly agreed that shopping was quite an intense exercise. After being given a short tour of the house all the women except Georgi and Lizzy made their way back down to the stylish, homely drawing room to partake of some well-deserved refreshments. Georgiana had whispered to Lizzy that she had one more thing to show her, and had proceeded to quite nearly drag her from the room and into the hallway. Walking into a section of the house they had not earlier ventured near, Georgi explained that Fitzwilliam had requested she show her the Master and Mistress' chambers so she could make a note of any changes she desired. Darcy House would, after all, soon be her own home too.

For a split second Lizzy hoped William would be behind the door as she tentatively stepped forward and pushed it open. Her disappointment, though not surprising, was still acutely felt as she slipped into the empty room. Georgiana had explained this was Fitzwilliam's bedroom and that hers was connected to his via an inner door and sitting room. Thinking it best to give Elizabeth some privacy she had respectfully remained outside, reassuring her it was no inconvenience to wait.

With a forlorn smile, Lizzy inhaled deeply, certain she could still smell William's particular scent in the air as she ran her hand over the dark, impeccably polished wooden furniture. Her eyes were instantly drawn to the enormous, canopied bed, indeed it would have been difficult to miss as it stood in the centre of the well-lit room. Her cheeks suddenly burned at the feeling of intimacy simply being alone in his bedroom stoked within her. Of course, she was not utterly unaware of the relationship shared between a husband and a wife in private but, as most gentlewomen of the time were taught, she believed couples only occasionally shared a bed and rarely did so after an heir, and perhaps a younger brother, was born.

At last stepping into the cozy sitting room Elizabeth was delighted to see two desks placed facing each other on one side, and a large table and comfortable chairs standing before a pretty looking fireplace on the other. The walls were a creamy beige colour, and decorated with the most beautiful, intricate paintings of the English countryside. Lizzy was immensely pleased with the appearance of the room as well as the furniture which was, though obviously expensive, not at all opulent or showy.

Turning towards what would soon be her own room, she pulled open the door and stepped inside. Her very first reaction was to smile in disbelief.

The walls, all recently painted, were a deep, forest green colour which perfectly matched the canopy of her bed and the result made her feel as though she'd been transported into her beloved woods back in Hertfordshire.

Next to an enormous Grecian library couch placed right before a pretty fireplace stood an elegant, though empty, curiosity piqued, Lizzy stepped over to examine it further and with a smile noticed a small envelope placed inconspicuously on one of the middle shelves. Excitedly she tore it open and scanned the note it contained.

' _My darling Lizzy,_

 _I know just how much you adore reading (you made the fact very clear, for that matter) and, in an attempt to never have something you so greatly enjoy removed too far a distance from you, I ordered this bookshelf be set in your room so you may fill it with all the books and trinkets your heart desires.'_

Although there was no signature it could only have been Fitzwilliam who was so thoughtful, and her smile widened slightly as she tucked the note in her skirt's pocket. Stepping back into the centre of the room she slowly turned, taking in every inch of the room, when she caught sight of a beautiful painting hanging above a small table in a corner near the window. Shaking her head in awed disbelief she moved over to get a closer look, her proximity proving it was indeed a painting of the view from Oakham Mount. How in the world Darcy had commissioned such a thing she had not the slightest idea, but she suddenly felt overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness and the undeniable aching in her heart as she realized they would be separated for quite some time still.

The thought made her drop onto her soon-to-be bed with a loud sigh and, to her surprise, heard a loud crunching sound at her movement. Jumping up in fright and worried that she'd broken something she spun around and found, to her amusement, it had only been a rather inconspicuous paper-wrapped package. Picking it up and turning it around in her hands she saw her name written across its front in handwriting that was unmistakeably William's. Inquisitively she tore at the packaging and, with a face-splitting smile, removed its contents. Inside was a perfectly white handkerchief with the letters F.D. boldly embroidered in one corner, and a folded sheet of paper. Glancing at the note she read,

' _I never did return your favour to me all those weeks ago. Consider it done now._

 _And just in case you have forgotten since the last time I wrote, I love you my dearest, loveliest Elizabeth.'_

"Utterly incorrigible, William," Lizzy whispered to herself. She still at times wondered how she could possibly have accused Fitzwilliam of being cold and aloof.

Taking one last glance around the room to ensure no letters were left behind unread she tucked the handkerchief inside her sleeve and slipped out of the room to find Georgi patiently waiting down the hall.

Making their way back to the rest of the group with happy chattering the two girls had their very first taste of many such moments they would share in the future, Elizabeth becoming both Georgiana's sister, and in many ways the motherly figure she had lacked for much of her childhood.

* * *

It was a very sleepy, utterly content group of women that arrived back in Cheapside that evening. However, after a few hours of rest, the entire household gathered for dinner and the conversation was both loud and lively as each at the table had a chance to share the events of their day. The young Gardiners were exceedingly excited to have all their cousins visiting and so it was arranged to go for a walk the next afternoon. They would have no lessons and as such would drive their parents to insanity if cooped up for the entirety of the day.

* * *

That night all five girls fell asleep as soon as their heads touched their pillows and did not awaken until well past eleven the next day.

While enjoying a leisurely breakfast Kitty moved off to the side of the room, repeatedly unpacking and repacking her new painting material, aching to put brush to canvas and bring her ideas to life. Alas, it was not to be as Louis and Emma came racing into the dining room, hats and bonnets securely fastened, and their very best outdoor attire donned with great enthusiasm which meant Louis' buttons were done askew, and Emma's bonnet was tied back to front.

After fixing their clothes and setting all four the children down at the table so they too could partake of the meal – or else they would complain of dreadful hunger before the Park was even caught sight of – the cheery household's talk turned to the activities of the upcoming week. It was with incredible ease, and many happy exclamations from Lydia, that Mrs Gardiner convinced the party to pay a visit to the theatre that Wednesday. 'Much Ado About Nothing' was scheduled and although the girls had all read the play, they'd never before seen it performed. It was decided that an invitation would be extended to Miss Darcy and Mrs Annesley as well, and each of the girls looked forward to a merry party and a pleasant evening.

Kitty and Lydia would both be confined to the Gardiner home from eleven to two o'clock each weekday and, although they felt disappointed at being left out of some of the fun, neither could deny that they were eager to learn from the famed London masters. Mr Darcy had arranged for a French and Italian tutor for Lydia, which thrilled the girl as she would finally be able to mention her London education with the same nonchalance all the fashionable ladies did.

At last, well fed and warmly dressed, the party departed for Hyde Park. Mary had at first insisted on staying home where she could read in peace, but her sisters would have none of it and so she was dragged along with them. As there was very little room to spare in the Gardiner carriage, even though it was very spacious compared to that of the Bennets, Emma was effectively deposited on Kitty's lap, Louis on his father's, and Dorothy, who refused to sit on the floor, squeezed herself into the minuscule space between Jane and Lizzy.

The short ride through Mayfair was occupied mainly by eagerly staring out of the carriage windows, drinking in the sights and sounds of the city in all its glory. Although still very much in the middle of winter, the sun had made a rare appearance, drawing nearly its entire population outdoors.

As soon as the carriage drew to a halt its larger occupants were left grasping at air as the three young Gardiners nearly fell out onto the ground in excitement. Kitty and Lydia hopped out seconds later and managed to grab hold of the unruly trio as they waited for the rest of their party to alight. All around them the park was covered in a fine layer of snow, and young children ran helter-skelter, cheeks ruddy with the exertion from their games.

Dorothy and Louis grabbed Kitty and Lydia by the hand and sped ahead of the group as they leisurely strolled along the recently scraped path. Emma, whose legs were as of yet too short to keep up with her siblings, trotted alongside the two eldest Bennets with each of her hands in one of theirs. The fresh air was glorious and even though Lizzy was used to setting a far quicker pace, today she was content to ramble on, enjoying every little ray of sunlight that fell on her skin.

Eventually, Mr and Mrs Gardiner tired and took their seats on a vacant bench while their nieces and children played in the snow. Even graceful Jane and stoic Mary joined in the fun as they scraped together mounds of snow and jumped on top of them once they had reached, as Dorothy put it, 'the optimal height'.

In such a manner they spent their afternoon and on their return it was, with amused expressions, noted that all five of the youngest in the group had dozed off before the main road had even been caught sight of.

Lydia and Kitty, both worn out by the exercise and excitement of the day, retired to their room almost immediately upon arriving home. Mrs Gardiner, checking on them about an hour later, was touched to see both girls peacefully asleep with small smiles upon their faces.

Lizzy, on the other hand, spent the rest of her afternoon writing to her father and to Mr Darcy. Even though Mary had revealed her engagement to Mr Ferrars in confidence Lizzy refused to hide something of such importance from her betrothed, and she informed him of the event with many happy words and reflections upon the change the doctor's attention had wrought in her sister.

Mr Darcy's correspondence had become rather sporadic as of late and, although Lizzy remembered his promise to write every day, she refused to blame him for their lapse in communication. She was all too aware that life did not always run quite as smoothly as you wished it would, and in her letter she made a point of it to reassure Fitzwilliam of her feelings on the matter. After all the difficulties they had been through before their courtship she was not about to let such a trivial issue cause disunity between them.

At last, having completed and sealed her letter, she placed it on a tray alongside all the other correspondence that was to be posted early the next morning and made her way to the room she and Jane now shared. For a few hours that Sunday evening all was quiet in the Gardiner home, that is until little Benjamin awoke from his nap and proceeded to ensure each and every member of the household, from master to servant, was as wide awake as though the world was coming to an end.

* * *

Monday morning saw Kitty and Lydia eagerly waiting in the drawing room for their tutors to arrive. A gigantic table had been moved near the window and it was there that Kitty would work on her art lessons while Lydia and her teacher would relocate to a small study near the end of the hallway.

It was precisely one minute before eleven when a prim knock sounded and the maid scurried to let the guest in. A rather young looking woman, perhaps thirty years of age, walked in with a beaming smile upon her face and introduced herself as Miss Balette, Lydia's French and Italian master. At first, the girls were slightly taken aback at the fact that someone so young, and in fact a woman, could possibly be a master but, as she proved countless times throughout the next few weeks, she certainly lived up to her title. Needless to say, it gave Lydia's relatives immense relief that her master had not turned out to be a young man, or they would have had their hands _quite_ full.

As Miss Balette and Lydia made their way to the study Kitty remained waiting in eager silence. With growing anxiety, she watched the hand of the clock slip from eleven to five past, ten past, and finally a quarter past. At some point, Elizabeth had joined her nervous vigil, and both girls had just about given up when they heard an uncertain tapping on the main door. With an excited smile, Kitty suddenly sat up as straight as she could, fixed her skirts, and turned to face the door.

An eccentric-looking old man stepped inside the drawing room, leading both Kitty and Elizabeth to stand and give a small curtsey. Before a word could be said by either of the Bennets, though, the man spoke.

"Is this the home of a Mr Edward Gardiner? Are either of you Miss Catherine Bennet, perchance?" his voice sounded slightly hoarse and his shrewd eyes made poor Kitty feel incredibly uncomfortable as she quietly replied that it was indeed the Gardiner home and that she herself was the girl he sought.

"Why, are you absolutely certain? Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy hired me to teach a young woman, but I did not expect to be sent to _Cheapside_ of all places. Are you entirely sure you are **the** Miss Catherine Bennet?" he quizzed as his gaze drifted to the furniture of the room with a slightly appalled expression on his visage.

"Of course, sir, I am she. And this is my sister, Miss Elizabeth, who as you may have heard is betrothed to Mr Darcy," Kitty insisted, somewhat put off by the man's manners.

"Very well, I suppose after fifteen minutes of searching I could not have stumbled upon the wrong house. Now, where is your art room?" he asked impatiently.

"I'm afraid we have none, sir, but my sister shall be perfectly happy to begin her lessons here," Elizabeth cut in as she pointed towards the table set up for that express purpose. In truth, Lizzy had become rather annoyed with the way the art master was reacting, and even though she was not as brash as Lydia, a nerve had been struck and she was compelled to speak up.

"Oh dear, this most definitely will not do! A table? In the middle of a drawing room? I cannot possibly dream of teaching at such a disadvantageous workplace!" the man mumbled under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief as he turned to observe the rest of the room.

Kitty, who had been awkwardly quiet until now, attempted once more to appeal to the man's good humour saying, "If this does not please you I am sure we could make a different arrangement."

At which the man merely shook his head in disagreement, "No. No, certainly not! I shan't have my reputation ruined by teaching in such a place. Mr Darcy must have been mistaken!" and without another word, he took hold of the suitcase he'd set next to the doorway, and exited the room in such a hurry that neither Lizzy nor Kitty truly registered his departure until he was already out of the house and in his waiting carriage.

Suddenly coming to her senses Lizzy turned to her sister, a look of pity on her face, "Oh, Kitty dear, I am so incredibly sor- ", she was stopped in the middle of the sentence as her younger sister, with what was obviously tears welling in her eyes, began to laugh. Her incessant giggling puzzled Lizzy immensely _but,_ she thought, _at least she isn't_ _ **only**_ _crying._

Through her hysterical giggles and onslaught of hiccups Kitty exclaimed, "Oh goodness, Lizzy, what are we doing here?" she paused as another laugh filled the room, "I have just about given up! I'm most certainly not London material!" her laughter suddenly died down as she arose from her seat and walked to the window. As she gazed out she quietly asked, "Did you hear what he said? He said teaching me would ruin his reputation. How am I supposed to learn, to make friends, to find a suitor, if everyone in London seems to agree with his assessment?"

Elizabeth suddenly arose, anger clearly adorning her face, and walked over to her sister.

"I shan't have you say one more such a thing about yourself, Catherine Bennet!" she exclaimed, " _You_ are not the problem. They are! I am sure Mr Darcy will be furious when he finds out how you were treated!"

Kitty, now utterly dismal and frustrated, countered, "How can you be so sure, Lizzy, when Mr Darcy reacted exactly the same way to us when we were first introduced?"

The question left Elizabeth speechless. Not only because of the direct manner in which it was posed, but because she had no way to deny Kitty's claims and the fact angered her.

More than a minute went by before Elizabeth once more found her wits and her voice.  
"Catherine, I know Mr Darcy looked down on us when we just met him, but people do make mistakes. No one, not a soul on this earth, is without fault. The difference is Mr Darcy learned to look past his prejudices and to observe the reality of things. He apologized, Kitty, and he changed," Elizabeth now joined her sister at the window, watching as their breaths formed clouds of mist on the icy glass. "People are complicated, difficult, imperfect creatures, Kitty. I know that better than anyone else. The difference comes when someone realizes their faults and tries to change them. That's what differentiates between the good and the bad."

Taking hold of her older sister's hand as it rested on the window ledge Kitty whispered, "I'm sorry for saying such horrible things about Mr Darcy. I'm just so tired of being treated as inferior when I _know_ I can prove myself if only I was given the chance."

"Kitty, your chance will come," Lizzy reassured the young girl standing beside her, "I will send Mr Darcy an express immediately and we shall have all this sorted within a few days. Don't fret, all will be well." And with that Elizabeth gave Kitty a light hug and left the room, determined to see her promise through and contact Fitzwilliam immediately.

Finding herself with several hours that would have been spent learning, Kitty chose a large canvas, opened the book Mr Winthrope had presented her with and, after a few minutes of paging through it and reading, she began to sketch the outline of her newest idea. _I won't let some strange man discourage me from painting,_ she determined, _I'll show him exactly what he forfeited._

And with that she set to work, her anger fizzling out little by little as her pencil was drawn across the brilliant white canvas.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Alrightio, there you have it! I know not MUCH is really happening in these chapters but I still see them as necessary to delve a bit deeper into each of our characters' personalities and thoughts.

As promised, I shall comment on your comments now xD

 **Nancieellen –** don't worry too much, Mr Mortimer Thornton shan't be going away any time soon! I like his quirky, mouse-with-the-personality-of-a-curious-cat appeal way too much! xD

 **HarnGin –** concerning your comments on Mrs B not liking the fact that Mary and Mr Ferrars are getting married, I think it has less to do with the fact that he is a doctor and more with the fact that he treated HER. It gives her the idea that because he works 'for' her, he's not worthy of marrying into the family. Some weird logic, but it IS Mrs Bennet after all. ALSO, I'm super happy you (sort of) like Lydia! I am trying to imagine what I was like at her age, and write her as realistically as I can, while still maintaining her rebellious, lively personality. I totally understand and agree with what you said about Mary being her mother's 'weed', and I can definitely relate to the feeling in some ways. I'm also a bit sceptical about Mr and Mrs B's relationship working out, but you never know. If everything doesn't become all rosy and lovely, perhaps it might just become slightly more bearable.

 **–** concerning Lady C trying to bribe Lizzy, while she is in fact 'marrying the bank'- it's no secret Lady C doesn't ACTUALLY believe Lizzy is in love with Mr Darcy. She just thinks he's fallen for some country girl's trickery. It makes sense then that she'd try pay her to break the engagement since she believes Lizzy only wants money anyway, Essentially she'll be saving Elizabeth the hassle of putting up with a man she doesn't even like, or so she thinks. And also, I DO agree that P&P has a lot of elements that contradicted Jane Austen's society's way of thinking about women, but I also feel like she left a lot out. Each of the five girls have potential to be far more than "just wives" and that's what I'm trying to explore (while still amping up the romance a bit xD). I'm unfortunately not a therapist, but rather just a 19 year old with an unusual way of reading into things WAY more than I probably should! And thank you for your super nice compliments. I don't know if I ever will publish, as I don't know if the story is quite good enough, and I also don't really like the idea of writing THIS story for any other reason than satisfying my own itch to give the girls different endings, but if I ever do decide to publish something, know that I really appreciate your comment!

 **DetectiveOfTheOpera –** If you're not sure who to ship it means I'm doing my job right ;) I did promise we wouldn't have angst on the Darcy/Elizabeth front, but I said nothing about the other characters. Nonetheless I HAT, HATE, HATE unrealistic angst. Like the pair are JUST about to figure things out and then WHABAM! some magical occurrence kicks them right back to square one. So I definitely WON'T be doing that. I'm trying to keep the angst at as realistic a level possible. ALSO I can totally agree on the 'hating' Mrs Bennet part. Let's just say I know someone similar in real life and just UGH! And also, I AM NOT SAYING A WORD ABOUT OUR NEW HANDSOME, MYSTERIOUS ARTIST FRIEND! I'm just gonna leave you all to stew a little until we learn a bit more about him ;)

AND I totally agree that Lydia could be none other than a Slytherin, because she IS a little evil but only when it counts

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** YAY! If you don't know who's in love with who I'm writing the story the way it's supposed to be! Double YAY! xD Ah oui, our mysterious artist is adding to the mystery a little! And also I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of Jane. And as for Lydia, I think she is JUST the breath of fresh air the ton needs to shock some sense into a few ladies and kick a few gentlemen off their high-horses.

 **GemmaDarcy –** I'm super glad you like the way Lydia is developing past being JUST annoying all the time!

 **Motherof8 –** Welcome to the story! And THANK YOU for leaving your reviews, even on the older chapters! I still get super-duper excited when I read the reviews and sometime they make me go back and reread the chapter which usually gives me more ideas for the next ones!

ALRIGHTY THENNNNN

To all the other lovely reviewers, you guys are stars! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sticking with me on the story so far!

And just so you have some idea of who I am (I realize I never even properly introduced myself), my name is Samantha, I'm 19, and I think I got my annoying desire to rewrite famous peoples' novels from overcommitting to my English Literature class! Oh, and I'll soon be moving to the UK to study at university, so that's probably just going to inspire me to write even more – Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Sense and Sensibility, WHO KNOWS WHERE MY BASTARDISASTION OF ENGLISH LITERATURE WILL END?!

As always have a lovely couple of days until we meet again!  
Sammy


	24. Much Ado About Everything

To say Mr Darcy was furious when he learned of the art master's behaviour would be an embarrassing understatement. Too ashamedly did he remember his own earlier pride and haughty manners, and finding that the art master _he himself_ had chosen treated his fiancé and her sister so poorly only reopened the wound his initial guilt had caused.

It was with determined strokes, and decidedly colourful language, that he wrote to Mr Smith and made known to him the exact measure of his displeasure at the behaviour the man had exhibited the day before. It would not stand, he wrote, and reassured the man that the Darcy family would no longer have anything to do with his work, nor would they act as patrons to his gallery any longer. After setting the letter aside he began a new missive with decidedly less anger, but no less vigour. The man he was currently writing to, a close friend of the Lord and Lady Hundley, would have to be the perfect master to teach Miss Catherine, he was sure of it.

Piling the second letter on top of the first he finally slowed his writing and his frowning expression relaxed ever so slightly as he responded to Elizabeth with a letter filled with apologies and promises to rectify the mistake.

Lizzy's letter had arrived at a rather difficult time as he was encountering far more obstacles with Pemberley's preparations for spring than he had anticipated, but his guilt at not having written to her in the past four days spurred him to do so now and he ended his note with yet another reminder of his love and hopes for a speedy reunion.

* * *

In all honesty, Mr Darcy's problems were far more complex and time-consuming than he let on. The unusually cold winter had led to many of the rivers running through his property freezing over, along with the water in all three of the wells located on Pemberley's land. It had taken nearly a week to solve the dilemma and be able to once more supply the tenants with fresh, clean water. This aside, a snowdrift had blocked off many of the roads leading into Lambton and, as the richest estate owner in the area, Mr Darcy's money, workers, and expertise were heavily relied upon to clear and restore them to a state suitable for travel. As he had never been one to merely bark orders while lounging in his office, Fitzwilliam spent most of his day outdoors supervising and lending a hand in much of the work. Thankfully the majority of repairs had been completed on Monday evening, and now his tasks had him confined indoors nearly all day seeing to paperwork, finances, and administration issues. Although it was a relief to not constantly be out in the biting cold it did try his patience in many ways to be cooped up in his office from morning till evening.

The only bright spot in his week was when he gave the orders for the updating, refurbishing, and cleaning of the Mistress' chambers and sitting room to begin. Lizzy had mentioned how much she loved the vibrant green tones used in London, and so he ordered the same be done for her room in Pemberley.

At first, the servants had seemed apprehensive at the sudden announcement of his engagement as, even though the article in the papers had been seen by some, most of the workers merely brushed it off as gossip. They greatly dreaded the possibility of a strict, demanding lady of the ton running the household and it was only Mrs Reynolds and some of the older servants who had enough faith in Mr Darcy to scoff at the idea that he would ever marry such a character.

You can imagine their relief when, in confirmation of the widely questioned announcement in the papers, Mr Darcy confirmed he would soon be marrying Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Hertfordshire. Each and every person in the room released the breath they were holding, reassured by the fact that even though they hadn't the slightest idea who this Miss Bennet was at least she hailed from the countryside and not Kent or London.

Mrs Reynolds, Pemberley's housekeeper and long-time friend of the Darcy family, was exceedingly pleased with the news. She had always hoped Mr Darcy would choose to marry for love rather than duty or status and, judging by the number of times a day he said "Elizabeth would like" this or that she had no doubt the young man was completely besotted.

One morning while he was sat down at his desk with a large cup of coffee, which he preferred to tea, and a pile of unread reports on his trade investments, Mrs Reynolds came knocking on his door, undeniably curious to learn more of the woman who seemed to have the master eating from the palm of her hand.

"Mr Darcy, I have just a few matters to discuss with you. I promise I shan't take up much of your time," she said softly, aware that the man was at the moment completely absorbed in the termly report laid before him.

Turning to the woman with, what Mrs Reynolds had long before come to know as a content, if not cheerful, expression Mr Darcy reached for his coffee and provided her his full attention.

"We are in the process of having the Mistress' chambers repainted, and some of the furniture updated, but many of the servants are curious to know more of Miss Bennet and her preferences, so that we may accommodate them with greater ease and efficiency," Mrs Reynolds said with a slight smile.

Although he was her junior by at least thirty years Mr Darcy could sense the underlying curiosity the woman herself held, and he guessed correctly that, although making Lizzy's transition into Pemberley easier was one of the reasons for this unusual request, the questions were also asked at the encouragement of many uncertain, inquisitive, and perhaps a little gossip-deficient servants in the house. Pemberley, and indeed all of the Darcy estates, was run on the extremely strict policy that the family's privacy be maintained – Fitzwilliam paid his workers well in return for their discretion – but even he could understand the uncertainty his announcement would have produced and so played along with his housekeeper's request.

"Perhaps it is wise to divulge a bit more than just her name and origins," he said with a knowing smile, which caught the housekeeper so off-guard that her eyes visibly widened in surprise. Mr Darcy was not known to smile, at least not frequently, and never with such easy confidence. He continued, "I wouldn't want any assumptions or gossip to be taken as truth."

Sitting up a little straighter and motioning for the woman to take a seat, he began, "Elizabeth is one of five daughters, and she has a very close-knit relationship with all of her sisters although their personalities differ greatly. I must warn you, and perhaps have you warn the servants too, that she is _not_ a conventional thinker, nor does she obtain much pleasure from conforming to society's demands. Expect to have her out walking long before most of the household is awake, and wandering in and out of the kitchens and stables as she pleases," Mrs Reynolds gave a light laugh, obviously delighted with the idea of such an unusual young woman becoming Mistress of Pemberley.

"She adores nature, reading – anything from Shakespeare to politics – and unlike myself, she greatly enjoys events of a social nature."

Here Mrs Reynolds, who was thus far greatly pleased with the prospects of a lively, social young woman coming to live at Pemberley, interrupted with her own set of questions, ranging from her favourite colour to what scents she preferred. She wouldn't admit to it, but many of the servants had wagered how many questions Mr Darcy would be able to answer and, although she had immense respect for the man, she also had a sense of humour and would not shy from a little fun at his expense.

"Does she favour any flowers above the rest?" she quizzed, now already on her fifth question.

"Not specifically, but she does seem to appreciate wildflowers more than those grown in a hothouse."

"Does she prefer rose or lavender water?" another question followed suit.

"Most definitely rose water," the smile on Mr Darcy's face as he answered made Mrs Reynolds raise her brow in scandalized question, which only led to a suspicious redness tinging the man's ears and cheeks.

"Is she fond of animals?" another important question as Mr Darcy's two favourite hunting hounds and companions Artemis, named after the Greek goddess of the hunt and wild animals, and Puddles, named by the twelve-year-old Georgiana, were given free rein to roam about the estate and house at their leisure.

"She is," came his reply, at which the old woman smiled once more, her estimation of Miss Bennet rising with every question.

Thusly the interrogation continued until Mrs Reynolds, having nothing more to ask, thanked Darcy for his time and left to reassure the servants that the master had chosen his bride wisely. Mrs Reynolds had also been informed that much of the wedding planning would have to be handled by herself and, although they had not yet been formally introduced, he would ask Elizabeth to begin a correspondence with her so that they may coordinate their ideas and Lizzy's preferences at the earliest time possible. Elizabeth would also be at Pemberley no less than a week before the wedding and would be able to see to any adjustments then, along with the help of Lady Matlock who had already begun excitedly throwing around ideas for what she called 'The Wedding of the Year'.

* * *

Back in London, Kitty, Mary, Elizabeth, and Jane spent Tuesday morning at the British Museum which fascinated each of the girls for different reasons – for Kitty it provided inspiration for future art, for Mary the history and specifics were most intriguing, Elizabeth loved seeing artefacts from events and places she had only read about, and Jane, although also interested in the history and significance of the exhibitions, was merely pleased to be out and about with her sisters and aunt.

Lydia had at first protested vehemently at being left behind with Miss Balette, but Mr Gardiner had effectively put his foot down at her second cry of "how can you leave me alone at home while you are all out having fun?" and thus silenced any further protestations although all four sisters received rather ugly glares throughout the remainder of their breakfast.

* * *

Early Wednesday morning Mr Darcy's letter arrived, along with the assurance that a new master would attend to Kitty the next day, one which he was sure would be delighted to teach her as he came recommended by Lord Hundley himself. Both Kitty and Lydia rejoiced at the news, although Lydia was only pleased that she would no longer be left alone in her studies.

* * *

Having received Georgiana's eager acceptance of their invitation to visit the theatre, along with the suggestion they make use of her family's box, all in the Gardiner household eagerly anticipated their evening's entertainment. With a little help from Georgi and Mrs Gardiner, each of the girls were suitably attired and ready nearly half an hour before the allotted time they were to leave.

Jane looked particularly lovely in pale lilac that evening, having once again borrowed a dress from her aunt, and Lydia and Kitty, who had been gifted dresses far more expensive than they could ever dream to afford from Georgiana, were bursting with excitement at being able to show themselves off to the London society. It would be their very first formal public appearance and each of the girls felt the importance the ton's first impressions of them would carry. Elizabeth had brought her finest dress with her to London, one her aunt had sent her nearly a year ago and which she had only worn about twice before. Both its bodice and skirts were dark, dramatic forest green with intricate gold filigree trimmings that ran from its V-shaped neckline down to her waist and then spread out across the rest of her skirt. Proudly wearing her engagement ring, and with one of the Darcy family diamonds hanging around her neck, she felt as though no one could convince her she was anything less than worthy to one day carry the Darcy name. Mrs Gardiner had given the ladies' maid specific instructions to take the utmost care with Elizabeth's hair, aware that she would be under intense scrutiny that evening, and it paid off in dividends as Lizzy's updo of intricate plaits and fine curls was the envy of many a lady that night.

With all the girls gathered impatiently in the drawing room Mr Gardiner settled upon leaving a few minutes earlier, arguing that being early was far better than late.

After collecting Georgiana, Mrs Annesley remaining home after citing a cold and a bad headache, the party made their way to the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. Despite their admirable punctuality, it seemed half of London had turned out to see the performance that evening and it took nearly a quarter of an hour just for the carriage to slowly make its way to the front steps. Mr Gardiner alighted first, followed by Mrs Gardiner and Jane, and the rest followed. As soon as Jane and Georgiana stepped into the light from the two large gas lamps near the main entrance several pairs of eyes turned their way. Said eyes would have returned to their prior occupations if it was not for Elizabeth who stepped out next. Standing as tall and as proud as she could, acutely conscious of the importance of first impressions, a graceful smile played on her lips as she walked forward to join her sister. Kitty and Lydia, who exited with admirable decorum, were dumbstruck at the sight of so many fashionable ladies with their sparkling jewels and elaborate headdresses, so much so that they barely said two words in a row as the party made their way indoors, momentarily delayed by several ladies rushing over to greet Georgi, and by the Gardiners' acquaintances who wished to have a word before the entertainment began.

With Georgiana leading the way to the Darcy box it was no surprise to any of the party when a young woman, wearing what Kitty described as 'a veritable pail full of diamonds', approached and yanked Georgiana into an embrace.

"Oh, Miss Darcy! What a pleasure it is to see you again!" she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice, "I was just telling Anne it is such a shame you were cooped up in Pemberley over the summer! Is Mr Darcy accompanying you this evening?" her rapid-fire questions and inquiry into the summer of which Georgi had only spent _half_ at Pemberley visibly discomfited the girl but she kept her composure with admirable strength which Lizzy made sure to praise her for at a later time.

"My brother is not in London, Miss Halifax, as estate business has called him home. However I am accompanied by my dear friends this evening," turning to Elizabeth who stood nearest, Georgiana continued, "This is Miss Elizabeth Bennet, my brother's fiancé, and these are her sisters – Jane, Lydia, Mary, and Kitty. Her aunt and uncle are presently engaged in conversation with Lord and Lady Cornwall it seems."

Evidently, the Gardiners had been drawn some distance away and were currently in animated conversation with their friends.

At the introduction of Elizabeth, Miss Halifax's expression had fallen slightly, but she recovered impressively quickly and, giving the sisters a rather superficial smile and effortless curtsey, she turned and quickly called out to her companion, "Anne, Anne! Do come over here and greet Miss Darcy!" she cried as a woman of about twenty-six years old strolled in their direction with a sour look on her face.

"Anne, you must meet the Bennets!" Miss Halifax's voice dripped with sarcastic enthusiasm, " _This,_ " she said, staring innocently at Elizabeth, "is _the_ Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Isn't she just delightfully quaint?"

Lizzy was not appreciative of the tone Miss Halifax used but she did her best to smile through the comment and gave a prim curtsey as this "Anne" lady's eyes flicked onto her face and then her dress.

Continuing with her nauseatingly cheerful introduction Miss Halifax said, "This, girls, is Mrs Anne Lowland!"

As the rest of the Bennets and Georgiana curtseyed in greeting Mrs Lowland turned to the group and, with a pointed look asked Jane, "What do you think of Madame Marchand's newest opinion on the perils of pastel colouring?"

Poor Jane, taken completely off-guard, could do naught but stammer an unsure response, "I, I must confess I do not know."

With a strangely lady-like snort the woman turned to Lydia, "And you, what would you say of Lady Sanderham's latest addition to the proper gentlewoman's wardrobe?"

Lydia, who hadn't the slightest idea who this Lady Sanderham was, nor what constituted the 'proper gentlewoman's wardrobe', gave a sweet smile and replied, "I have nothing but praise for it! Indeed you are wearing her recommended superciliousness quite tastefully." At which Kitty, who was positioned directly beside her sister and feeling much more like herself lately, burst into such loud, mirthful laughter that both Mrs Lowland and Miss Halifax made good their escape with looks of horror on their face.

Seeing Georgi's complexion turn a bright red, Elizabeth turned to her youngest sisters, desperately trying to hide her smile, "Lydia, Kitty, you cannot go about speaking to people in such a way!"she whispered desperately, "You will make fools of us all and I'm afraid in London once a reputation is soured there is nothing that can possibly rescue it!"

Elizabeth was pleased to see her sisters' expressions become far more sombre as they contemplated her words. They wanted to make an impression but being known as the raucous country girls was not quite what they had in mind. Both girls immediately promised to behave more appropriately, if not for Elizabeth and the Darcys sake, then at least for their chances of catching the eye of an eligible gentleman.

Turning to collect the Gardiners, the party once more continued on their way, the youngest two now far more subdued after realizing with fright that their actions would, wonder of wonders, have consequences.

They had only just rounded a corner when Jane, who had been walking at the front of the group with Georgi, nearly collided with a handsome young man standing in conversation with his much older companion.

"Miss Bennet!" the man exclaimed, "Please accept my apologies for so rudely obstructing your path," he said with a smile as he gave a deep bow.

Turning slightly pink, Jane returned his smile, and replied "There is no need for apologies, Mr Reeding, it was entirely my fault."

After insisting it was indeed _his_ fault, and then being introduced to the rest of the company, Mr Reeding proceeded to escort Jane to the Darcy family's seating area. After explaining he was appropriately familiar with the theatre and knew exactly where the group was heading, the two took off at a leisurely pace, not extending their lead any more than a few meters from the rest of the Bennets, Gardiners, and Georgiana.

"I must say, Miss Bennet, that you are utterly breathtaking this evening!" Mr Reeding said with a sincere smile which made Jane's heart flutter ever so slightly.

"Thank you, sir, and may I return the compliment? This particular shade of blue suits you wonderfully."

Making their way forward the two spoke of very little of consequence, although Mr Reeding did say he was at the theatre after being invited by an old friend. Most of their time was spent discussing the events since they last met, and Jane mentioning how pleased she was to see the man once more.

At long last they arrived at their destination, the remainder of the party quickly joining them, at which Mr Reeding bid them a good evening and expressed his wish that they enjoy their outing. He had promised Jane he would re-join them at the intermission if possible, although he did not wish to neglect his companions either.

Lydia immediately took a seat beside Jane as they settled in, the play about to begin, and relentlessly quizzed her eldest sister over the particulars of Mr Reeding's personality and status. This continued well into the first scene of the play until Kitty, who was seated next to Georgiana, gave a huff of annoyance and clamped her hand over Lydia's mouth. The girl was effectively silenced for the remainder of the first half.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Alright! Do accept my apologies for updating so late but unfortunately, life happened, and I didn't get the chance to edit and write all weekend!

 **Charlotteandlizzy –** I loved your review! And I must say Lydia is the Bennet sister we all love to hate, but I'm trying my best to make her just a smidge more likable, while keeping her spitfire, no-nonsense personality!

 **Ladylizzypuff12 –** Yay! I love Jane Eyre, and seeing a reference of her here is such a delight! Kitty is having a bit of an off-day, or two, or three. Let's make it an off couple of weeks! But things will begin to look up for her soon, nothing will come easy, especially not for Kitty, but I think each of the obstacles she faces will make her stronger, which is what she definitely needs to be!.

Hmmm I am a big Divergent fan, so I have to say

Darcy – definitely candor/erudite

Elizabeth – dauntless. Definitely dauntless.

Kitty – amity, although she does have elements of candor to her nature as well. She doesn't like hiding her thoughts or feelings

Jane –amity all the way

Mary – you're definitely right with erudite/abnegation!  
Lydia – dauntless too, for lack of a better class to put her in. She's manipulative, but not excessively academic, so not erudite. Definitely not amity, she would annihilate their existence entirely, and also SO NOT abnegation. Don't you dare take away her mirrors! And Candor is a bit tricky. She's honest when she wants to be, but also lies whenever it pleases her, so no, not Candor. She's some sort of manipulative dauntless. xD

To all the other lovely reviewrs, thank you for your kind words and brilliant insight!

I promise I'll be posting more reliably this week!

Also, can I just say that **I** was laughing at the whole Kitty and Lydia realizing their actions have consequences bit. Like the actually only now found out what they say and do can have an effect on their lives later on. Oh the joys of youth! xD


	25. Things Begin to Look Up

The actors and actresses on stage that evening were an absolute joy to watch. Each played their roles with such conviction and passion that Lizzy, Georgi, Kitty, and Mrs Gardiner's eyes barely left the scene before them for more than a second or two. Jane, who was quite distracted by her encounter with Mr Reeding, occasionally glanced around the rest of the theatre, and Mary, who was not as familiar with the particulars of the play, split her time between reading the program in her lap and turning her attention once more upon the stage.

Thus the first half concluded and each of the ladies made their way out to stretch their legs and partake of hot tea.

Mr Gardiner had remained in his seat, not feeling up to the bombardment of chatter and introductions he was sure would follow the Bennet girls' presence, and so he leaned back in his exceedingly comfortable seat and shut his eyes for a brief reprieve.

The women had barely stepped out into the hallway when they were met by none other than Lord and Lady Matlock who had beaming smiles on their faces as they were introduced to each of the sisters and Mrs Gardiner. Lady Matlock, who had not seen her niece in quite some time drew the young girl into a warm embrace and then turned with a good-natured expression to Elizabeth.

"So _you_ are the woman who stole my nephew's heart?" Lady Matlock asked with a raised brow, although the slight smile playing on her lips put Lizzy instantly at ease.

"Yes, my lady," Elizabeth replied, quickly taking a liking to the Countess.

Turning to her husband the lady said, "I must say I can see why Richard wouldn't stop speaking of the Hertfordshire ladies," she glanced from Elizabeth to the rest of her sisters, noticing Catherine's cheeks turn ever so slightly pink, "You must have a very beautiful mother."

The poor Countess was rather puzzled at the silence following her statement, but brushed it off nonetheless, and spent a few more minutes getting to know her future niece-in-law, with Georgiana occasionally being pulled into the conversation.

As the women spoke, the Earl stepped into the room where Mr Gardiner sat, having ascertained his whereabouts from Marianne. He had business to discuss as usual and had a rather difficult time adhering to his wife's no-work-at-social-gatherings policy. Soon both men were deeply engrossed in analyzing the trade prospects for the upcoming year, and quite effectively oblivious to all their surroundings.

As the youngest Bennets quietly stood observing the people around them under Jane's watchful eye Lydia perked up ever so slightly, her gaze fixating on something behind her eldest sister. It was at that precise moment that the Viscount Fitzwilliam made his presence known, adding with a grin that he would have to end his habit of sneaking up behind Jane, although his pleasure at meeting her once more was obvious. Unfortunately for Andrew, they had very little time to talk beside the usual polite greetings, and even then the viscount made an admirable effort to include both the youngest sisters in their conversation as well.

Seeing her son standing near Jane, Lydia, and Kitty – Mary having wandered some way off to admire a painting hanging from the hallway wall – the Countess drew Elizabeth and Georgi over to the group, extending an invitation to all five sisters, their aunt, and Georgiana for tea the next day. She went as far as to include Mr Gardiner as well, stating she was sure her husband would have much to discuss with the man. After insisting they accept the offer, and then receiving the reply she was intent upon the countess said her goodbyes and, collecting the Earl from where he was seated next to Mr Gardiner, made her way in the direction of the refreshment table. The Viscount seemed reluctant to leave and his interest in the sisters was made apparent by the many questions he asked regarding Hertfordshire and Meryton. These questions the girls left almost entirely for Jane to answer, eventually wandering off and leaving their eldest sister and the viscount animatedly discussing the first part of the evening's performance.

Elizabeth, who was far more interested in procuring a cup of tea than going in search of new acquaintances, stood a few meters away from the side of the room in which tea was being served and took her time watching the people gathered before her. It wasn't long before a young woman joined her in her silent observation, doing her best not to be noticed by the crowd around her. After a few minutes of silence, Lizzy debating whether or not she ought to introduce herself, the woman whispered a shy "Good evening," and then immediately lapsed into silence, her face turning beet-red. "Good evening," Lizzy replied, trying her best to set the girl at ease, "My name is Elizabeth Bennet," said she, extending her hand in greeting.

Suddenly the woman turned a worrying shade of white and exclaimed, "Oh goodness, I am so sorry Miss Bennet! I had no wish to disturb you!" and immediately gave a curtsey, as tears welled in her eyes.

Shocked and intensely puzzled Elizabeth reached out to pat the girl's shoulder as she worriedly inquired what was wrong, and if the young woman was feeling unwell.

"Oh, don't mind me Miss Bennet, I have just had a rather awful evening and I don't wish to burden you with any of it!" the girl's discomfort was obvious and left Lizzy positively perplexed.

Brushing off her protestations Elizabeth replied, "Nonsense! I shan't leave you alone in such a state, come now let's find you someplace to sit."

"I am so sorry for reacting in such a way, Miss Bennet, but you _are THE_ Miss Elizabeth Bennet marrying Mr Darcy of Pemberley, are you not?" the girl asked, wiping away a stray tear.

"I am, although I don't see why it is any reason to apologize simply for greeting me," Lizzy countered with a reassuring smile, doing her best to set the woman at ease.

"Oh dear, I have just had the most dreadful evening. It is my very first season and this has been my very first outing. Since arriving I have only been scoffed laughed or sneered at, and I am at my wits end as to what to do!" a flood of information came bursting from the girl's mouth, "My father and mother are in our box, and they sent me to fetch some tea, and I'm afraid I can't even do that without disturbing half of London and infuriating the rest."

With a feeling of deep sympathy Elizabeth responded, "I wouldn't pay the people of the ton too much mind, they are far too exacting for my taste, and perhaps for the taste of the better part of England too!"

The surprise on the woman's face was evident as she looked up at Elizabeth from her seat, "Why, I certainly didn't imagine Mr Darcy's fiancé would have such an unpopular opinion of London society!" and then, as if suddenly realizing what she had said the girl's face turned bright red once more. "Oh dear my mouth and my mind are not cooperating this evening. I read of your engagement in the papers and instantly had a showy, superficial lady in mind, but you have proven me dreadfully wrong."

Lizzy gave a small chuckle, "Well I am greatly relieved to hear that!"

Seeing her new acquaintance smile lightheartedly gave the girl a small boost of confidence and she finally arose and introduced herself as Miss Eloise Fitzpatrick of Glastonbury. The girls continued in conversation for a short time longer, Elizabeth describing some of Hertfordshire, and Miss Fitzpatrick doing the same of Glastonbury, until the announcement was made that the second half of the play was about to begin and the girls said their goodbyes. Lizzy made her way back to her seat with a disbelieving smile on her face at the idea that she could ever be as showy as the ladies of the ton, and an inkling feeling that she had much work to do to convince the people she met she was not, as was commonly assumed, some high-and-mighty heiress and snob.

* * *

Seeing as no one had truly been paying them much attention, Lydia and Kitty had moved away from their group after Elizabeth went to find some tea. They were stood against a wall in the main hallway rather disinterestedly discussing the events of the evening thus far when Kitty suddenly froze, her eyes pointed to her right. Just a few meters away, standing near a wealthy looking old lady, was the silhouette of the young man she had seen in the art shop, she was quite sure of it - that is until his face turned and she noted instead of long hair, his was merely unruly, and instead of grey eyes his were blue-green like the ocean. His features were far better defined as well and, come to think of it, he was taller too. Nudging Lydia with a look of admiration on her face and attempting to discreetly draw her sister's attention in his direction, Kitty, at last, gave a slight tip of her head and at last Lydia's gaze followed her sister's, resting upon the veritable Grecian demi-god's person. Lydia's brows shot up as she took in the particulars of the gentleman's appearance and, without her gaze leaving his person for even a split second, she breathed, "Who is _that_? He may very well be the son of Zeus!" as she batted her lashes and let out a longing sigh.

"I haven't the slightest idea but, my goodness, isn't he just divinely handsome?" came Kitty's reply.

Alas, an unwelcome interruption intruded on the girls' admiration-from-afar, in the form of Mary dragging them back to their seats, insisting the next half was about to begin. Both girls hurried back to their family, still quietly whispering to each other about the eye-catching gentleman they'd been observing, and it would be remiss not to note Lydia's mind mulled over his possible identity long after the curtain was raised once more and the sound of laughter filled the theatre.

The last scenes of the play were excellently performed, and several times the audience collectively chuckled at the near-sighted behaviour that had led to so many confusing problems. The troupe of actors, at last, made their way back on stage after the final monologue had been repeated and the last bout of dialogue had been delivered, with all in the audience praising them with a standing ovation.

Making their way out of the theatre was decidedly easier than entering, even though the group was stopped several times more by acquaintances and strangers alike. Jane was deeply disappointed at not having met with Mr Reeding once more, but his smiling presence awaiting her outside as the family made their way to their carriage once more put her spirit at ease. Mrs Gardiner, noticing the couple in deep conversation, managed to delay the rest of the group's progress towards the carriage for quite a few minutes in the hopes of providing Jane slightly more time to speak to the handsome young man.

"I am so, so sorry for abandoning you so rudely during the intermission, Miss Bennet," Mr Reeding said, his disappointment quite evident from his forlorn expression.

"Think no more of it, Mr Reeding, I am sure your companions were in dire need of your cheerful presence," came Jane's understanding reply, met with yet another grateful smile.

"I must say you have absolutely delightful siblings!" the gentleman said softly, glancing over at the group standing in conversation near the bottom of the stairway, "I can only imagine that is because they have you as a role model."

Blushing prettily, Jane tried to brush off the compliment to no avail as Mr Reeding insisted his observation was correct.

"I have no brothers or sisters, sadly, so I know very little about the relationship between siblings, but I have no doubt your sisters look up to you. They would be foolish not to," the gentleman's statement was so sincere that Jane could do naught but quietly thank him, her cheeks still very pink.

Noticing that her aunt could no longer delay their departure Jane bid the man farewell and, with many thanks for his company, hurried down to join her family.

All in the party were in high spirits, having enjoyed the entertainment and socializing immensely, and now feeling more than ready to return home to their warm beds and peaceful slumber.

It was just as they turned past the stairway in the direction of the waiting carriages that the group, or more specifically Jane, came face to face with none other than Charles and Caroline Bingley. Realizing this, the latter only sniffed in annoyance and disdain, while the former turned a very sickening shade of pale which matched Jane's current complexion nearly perfectly.

"Miss Bennet," Mr Bingley managed to squeak as he bowed to the group in greeting.

"Mr Bingley, how, um, pleasant it is to see you once more," Jane's voice trailed off as her sentence ended, leaving an awkward silence to hang between herself and the man before her as Lizzy's hand suddenly found hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Then, to the surprise of everyone gathered, poor Mr Bingley suddenly turned brilliantly red, muttered something along the lines of "I bid you goodnight," gave a small bow and fled the scene with Caroline hot on his heels.

Jane let out a long sigh as the two disappeared from sight, and Elizabeth saw her give an uncomfortable grimace as their group, although a bit puzzled by the Bingley siblings' behaviour, finally boarded their waiting carriage. It was to Lydia's credit that she said not a word regarding the Bingleys or their meeting, although that was mainly because she was too tired and not, as Elizabeth and Mary hoped because she had begun to mature.

Having dropped Georgiana off at home with many promises of an enjoyable afternoon at Matlock house the next day, the family made their way home, each too tired to say much on the journey although Lizzy did sit Jane down after they were ready for bed and made absolutely sure she was not too shaken by her meeting with the Bingleys. After reassuring her sister she was quite alright, Jane extinguished the candles and climbed beneath the thick blankets on the bed she shared with Lizzy. As her sister fell asleep mere seconds after the room was plunged into darkness, Jane lay awake for several hours longer, her mind not quite being able to rid itself of Mr Bingley's expression when he laid eyes upon her, and a nagging feeling of guilt keeping her from surrendering to the softly tugging tendrils of unconsciousness.

* * *

Thursday morning saw Kitty once more impatiently waiting in the drawing room. She had tried to force herself to act nonchalant but her excitement had won out and she now perched at the edge of her seat, her feet tapping the floor in anxiety and eagerness. Elizabeth, who made a point of it to sit with her sister, prayed the new teacher would not react poorly to Kitty again as she was unsure the girl could bear any further disappointment.

Thankfully, at five minutes to eleven, the long-awaited knock was heard and a cheerful voice resounded through the hallway. The maid had only just pushed open the door when Kitty jumped to her feet in delight and gave a curtsey, a face-splitting smile her only expression.

"Why, Mr Winthrope! I did not know you taught art!" she exclaimed, her happiness audible in each word.

The old man seemed equally as pleased as he replied, "I haven't taught in many years but of course when Lord Hundley wrote to me I could do naught but accept his request immediately, he has been such a generous sponsor and a wonderfully consistent patron of my store."

With a twinkle in his eyes he added, "And when I heard my student would be a Miss Catherine Bennet I just knew there was no way I could refuse!"

Elizabeth was very pleased with the fact that Kitty's art master was none other than the jolly owner of the Temple of Fancy and, seeing the two interact with ease, she quietly slipped out of the room and left them to begin their lesson.

"Well, Miss Catherine, shall we commence our exploration of the great treasure trove that is artistic style?" Mr Winthrope asked, his excitement making Kitty even more eager to begin her learning.

Stepping over to the table set out by the window he plopped down a large wooden box he had been carrying and proceeded to remove several paintings of people and houses, all so exquisitely rendered that Kitty gasped in awe as she moved closer to examine them in further detail.

"Oh these are absolute masterpieces!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining brilliantly as she took in the composition of painting after painting.

"I am pleased to hear you say so, as they are all my own creations!" the man said with a grin.

"Truly?" exclaimed the young girl in surprise, "They are impeccable!"

The old man's joy was visible as he responded, "Well, according to Mr Darcy you are quite the prodigy, so I have no doubt your work will one day soon surpass even that of my own! I just have a feeling!"

With a dismissing giggle, Kitty walked to a corner of the room and collected her own portfolio, carrying it over for the man's inspection.

Her heart felt as though it may beat out of her chest as he paged through the sketchbooks and loose canvases, finally standing back to observe an enormous painting, the one she had only just begun on Monday, depicting Hyde Park filled with wildly exotic animals like alligators and tigers, and fields of unrecognizable flowers.

"Why, this is positively terrifying!" Mr Winthrope commented, although his gaze didn't leave the canvas for more than a second, "Terrifying, yet mesmerizing at the very same time!"

"It's still far from finished, but I wished to combine London with some of the things I read about South America in that book about the New World you gave me," Kitty explained with an uncertain smile.

"Terrifyingly spectacular, Miss Catherine! There are no better words to describe it, and I must say I am incredibly impressed!" at which Kitty turned pink as her uncertain smile turned into one of pure joy.

"I've never seen anything quite like it! It may even be an entirely new genre of its own!" the man exclaimed and then, after a few more seconds spent taking in the totality of the art piece, he turned to his work materials and unpacked several stacks of sketching paper.

"Since you already seem to be interested in animals and plants, let us begin with those very objects."

Kitty took her seat and set out her pencils and drawing materials accordingly.

"Now, what I want you to do is draw whatever comes to mind when I repeat a word or phrase to you. You won't have much time for each exercise, only about two minutes per sketch, but this is the most effective method for me to gauge your skill and creativity. Shall we begin?"

With an enthusiastic nod began Catherine Bennet's very first art lesson, filled with exciting exercises, priceless information on mixing colours, and a comprehensive fostering of her creative abilities that left her in a cheerful mood for the remainder of the day.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hey, hey, hey! xD

So there we have the last bit of the theatre visit and Kitty's new art teacher! Don't forget about dreamy McDreamster she saw in the art shop, his role is still coming up!

These last few chapters have been SUCH a challenge to write as we have SOOOO many characters, and new ones being introduced and keeping up with all of them and each of the sisters without getting totally overwhelmed AIN'T easy! But I'm surviving! xD

Anyhooo,

I'm really glad you guys like Mrs Reynolds! I always though she seemed like such a kind, nice woman!  
I'm working hard on prewriting a few chapters as I'll be on a trip all of next week and I don't want to leave you all without at least 2 new chapters ready to be posted!

As always, thank you to alllllll the lovely reviewers! I promise I'll comment on individual ones in the next chapter's author's note! For now I've got to get WRITINNNNGGGGGG!


	26. High Socie-TEA

At precisely three o'clock on Thursday afternoon, the Bennets and their guardians arrived at Matlock house.

A chilling wind gusted through the street and it was a very grateful party that stepped inside the entrance hall out of the biting cold.

"Lady Matlock is, unfortunately, still speaking with visitors at the moment but she has instructed me to take you to the sitting room. She shan't be much longer, I assure you," the young maid said with a deep curtsey as the Bennets and Gardiners followed her in curiosity. The sitting room itself was very cozy and far more intimate a setting compared with what they had seen of the house seen thus far, and the group was ecstatic to find a large, cheery fire burning merrily away, warming the room and its occupants.

Taking their seats, they resorted to small talk in order to pass the time of their wait. They had only just begun discussing the particulars of the freezing weather when they heard the door open with a loud bang against the wall. All seven heads instantly turned to face the door and a small giggle left Jane's mouth as she saw it was none other than little Margaret who stood with a cheeky smile, wearing the most delightful little dress, and looking not at all bothered with the fact that she had nearly given Mr Gardiner a heart attack.

"Are you waiting for Mellie?" she asked curiously and then, seeming to think better of it, she added, "Of course you are! You certainly wouldn't be here with that putrid, onion-shaped Mrs Camden."

Kitty hadn't the slightest idea who the girl was talking about but the idea of a woman both looking and smelling like an onion tickled her fancy and she gave a small laugh, quickly swallowing her mirth when both Mary and Jane stared at her disapprovingly.

Stepping further into the room she walked up to Mr Gardiner first and, giving a small curtsey, she extended her hand and said, loud enough for all the room to hear and perhaps the one next door as well, "Miss Margaret Fitzwilliam, sir, I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

With an amused smile, Mr Gardiner arose and, with a theatrical bow, introduced himself as well. In turn, all the women also stood and curtseyed to the little girl as she waited expectantly. After being told the names of each of the girls Miss Fitzwilliam stood quite still for a moment and then, with a shake of her head, said in a very mature tone, "I doubt I shall remember all your names, but I shall make do with what I can!"

Obviously feeling far more comfortable with Jane, whom she already knew, the little girl confidently walked up and inserted herself onto the couch in between Jane and Kitty, and proceeded to describe the Mrs Camden in great detail and with such immense imagination that Kitty resorted to crying with laughter and even Elizabeth couldn't help but join in the merriment. Lydia listened to the girl with great interest, painfully aware of the fact that Margaret's behaviour was not all too different from her own and feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the fact that she could be compared to a four year old. Miss Fitzwilliam, however, showed no sign of slowing down her tirade of giggling, colourful descriptions as she had found two tickled listeners and one, Miss Jane, who wouldn't dare judge her after learning she had been raised without a mother.

It was during yet another one of her bouts of talkativeness that Elizabeth's sharp ears picked up the faint sound of footsteps outside the room. Soon enough the rest of the sitting room's occupants heard it too and Margaret fell silent, slightly worried that her father or grandmother may have heard her inappropriate comments. What the group heard instead was a high-pitched, snooty voice exclaiming, "I most certainly shan't be treated in such a way, Amelia! Those girls are not worth your time, and you are well aware of it!"

The five sisters looked at each other in discomfort, painfully aware of the fact that Mrs Camden, the owner of the voice, was referring to them.

"Enid, you will not speak of my nephew's fiancé and her family in such a way. Most certainly not in my house," came Lady Matlock's calm voice, although her tone was one of serious warning.

Mrs Camden audibly scoffed at the warning, and once more the countess spoke, although this time her voice was far from calm, "Miss Elizabeth is the best thing that could ever have happened to Darcy. If you could see how much he has changed you would not be so quick to dismiss the fact that that girl has worked wonders."

Lizzy's ears turned pink, and she glanced around in guilty discomfort, all in the room painfully aware that they were intruding on an explicitly private discussion.

The voices trailed down the hallway, finally becoming inaudible, and it wasn't more than two minutes later that Lady Matlock, with not a hint of her earlier anger visible upon her face, stepped into the sitting room and greeted her guests. Sending the maid up to fetch the earl and viscount, Lady Matlock explained that Georgiana had sent a note stating she would be late, her piano master insisting she complete the newest piece she'd learned before the end of their lesson. Noticing Margaret sandwiched between Kitty and Jane the Countess gave a small smile and said, "I see you have found some new friends, Margaret dear," to which the girl gave an eager nod and hopped onto the floor, running over to the countess and climbing onto her lap.

Elizabeth was surprised. The regal Lady she had heard reprimanding Mrs Camden in the hallway mere minutes earlier seemed to be galaxies removed from the smiling, loving woman she now saw seated before her. However, before anyone could say something to effectively commence a conversation both the Earl and Viscount stepped into the room and the Bennets and Gardiners arose to bow and curtsey in respectful greeting.

The two men spent only a few minutes speaking with the guests before they invited Mr Gardiner to the Earl's study so they could get to work.

Leaving the women alone, Jane had only just begun to comment on the play of the previous evening when Margaret, with a cheeky look upon her face, said, "We heard you telling off that lumpy Mrs Camden outside the door!"

So abrupt was her confession and its conclusion that all five sisters and Mrs Gardiner's cheeks turned quite pink with embarrassment.

Thankfully the countess was not displeased, apart from quietly whispering to Margaret that she shouldn't interrupt her elders, and then looking about the room with a rather sad smile and saying, "I am truly appalled that you were forced to hear Mrs Camden's foul remarks. She is not usually so biting in her assessment of people, it is only that her daughter had set her hopes on marrying Mr Darcy and I'm afraid you have well and truly spoiled her chance, Miss Elizabeth."

Lizzy reassured the lady that her feelings had not been hurt, to which the countess responded with impressed approval, "Yes, you shall fit in quite well with our society," she said in a thoughtful tone, "You cannot allow yourself to be hurt or offended by the comments people make, else you shan't survive more than a day or two."

Elizabeth was still curious as to the reason behind the vastly different behaviour the countess exhibited with Mrs Camden compared to with themselves but she didn't need to ask as the lady merely continued, answering her question without Lizzy even having posed it.

"Unfortunately the ton preys on any sign of weakness, and eventually their constant snide comments, insults, and underlying ill manners eat away at any notch in your composure. That is why, girls, we all must do our best not to show our insecurities or any form of uncertainty. Even when you feel like your heart is breaking into a thousand pieces you still smile, hold your head high, and face society with pride. That is the only way to survive."

 _The poor woman!_ Lizzy thought sadly. She couldn't imagine having to spend the better part of her life hiding her feelings and thoughts in order to stave off the worst the ton had to offer, but here was the countess, doing exactly that, and succeeding brilliantly at it as well. She was truly someone to look up to in many ways.

Changing the topic to a happier subject, the women spent the next few minutes discussing Elizabeth's wedding plans and deciding on many things as Lizzy was not at all fussy and already had a very good idea of what she wanted. Mrs Reynolds' letter had arrived that morning and she had spent most of her time making a list of the things that needed to be decided upon, all of which she communicated to the housekeeper clearly and decisively, yet another aspect of her personality that greatly impressed the servants at Pemberley as they had been dreading constantly changing the particulars of the event to suit the unknown lady's ever-changing tastes.

At last, having just finished their discussion of menus, Georgiana was shown into the room and she hurried over to hug her aunt with a big smile, plopping down onto the couch in a very unladylike manner as Margaret leapt onto her lap and immediately began catching her up on all that had been discussed.

Together the group made for a very jolly party, even more so when they moved to the drawing room and were joined by the men for tea. With Margaret now seated on her father's knee, animatedly informing Jane, who was seated to the viscount's left, of the best way to eat a biscuit and Elizabeth sitting next to the countess and earl, who seemed incredibly interested in learning more of the woman they would soon be calling family, the rest of the group was left to their own devices. Georgiana was happily recounting the details of her newest piano piece to Mary and Lydia, and Kitty – who was seated directly opposite the viscount and Margaret - amused herself by pulling faces at the girl when no one was looking, leading Andrew to become very puzzled at the fact that his daughter periodically burst into hysterical laughter without the slightest provocation.

Needless to say from that day onwards Kitty was a firm favourite with Miss Fitzwilliam, and in her she found an ever enthusiastic partner for all her hijinks and silliness.

Margaret had also taken a liking to Elizabeth, although it was not until much later when Lizzy asked her for her opinion on wedding cakes that the young girl made her approval officially known.

So the afternoon was spent in happy conversation, and the new friends parted far later than had been expected, all worn out yet content with the events of the day.

That night, as the Earl and Countess lingered in their shared sitting room and mulled over their conversations that afternoon both, at different moments and in their own unique way, made known to the other their approval of the Bennets, and their enjoyment of Elizabeth's unaffected, genuine conversation. Both could see exactly why Darcy had fallen for her.

* * *

Friday morning brought with it more lessons, although neither Lydia nor Kitty could find any reason to complain, their teachers being both interesting and very, very well versed in their respective subjects. It is to be noted that Lydia, who had at first seemed a little uncommitted to the studious, dedicated Miss Balette had now become a joy to teach. Her occasional complaining, groaning, and sighs did not disappear, but the passion she showed and her natural ability to learn soon won over the young tutor. Lydia, on the other hand, seemed fascinated by the fact that Miss Balette was well into her twenties yet showed no distress at not yet being married. She was a pretty, pleasant woman and Lydia couldn't for the life of her understand her reasons for remaining unmarried. Lydia did not yet, however, have the courage to question her on it and so remained silently speculative.

* * *

The next morning the girls had only just awoken and congregated in the dining room for breakfast when the day's mail arrived. As a maid quietly stepped inside, a veritable pile of envelopes strewn across the tray she carried, the door she had so carefully closed swung violently open and in stumbled a footman carrying the most enormous box the Bennets had ever seen. So heavy was said parcel that the young man grunted with the effort of conveying it across the room, finally letting it fall to the floor with a thump, and then making his excuses and apologies as he informed the room that the parcel was to be delivered to Miss Elizabeth Bennet and that it had arrived by private coach.

Immediately Lydia let out a loud, low "Ooooh" while Kitty wiggled her brows and whispered "Well Mr Darcy must have done something he needs to apologize for!" at which Jane, who couldn't bear hearing anyone insinuate the man had done something wrong gently reprimanded the girl for her words as Lizzy let out a light laugh and strolled over to where the box, or rather crate, rested near the side of the room. The footman, it seemed, had already pried open the top and thus made it easy for her to simply lift the lid and be greeted by a smorgasbord of books, trinkets, and little boxes.

On the very top lay a thick looking envelope, for which she reached first and, finding a short note inserted along with several folded papers, decided to read the missive first.

She had only just taken in the few brief sentences when Kitty called out, "What does it say, Lizzy?" to which her aunt smugly added her curious inquiry, hoping to stir Lizzy to some sort of amusing embarrassment.

"The parcel is from Mr Darcy, of course," Lizzy said with a happy sigh, at which Lydia rolled her eyes with such vigour Kitty could barely manage to contain her laughter as she said, "Really Lydia, if you roll your eyes to any greater extent they might just fall out!"

"He has sent us a collection of books he thought we might find useful or enjoyable, and it also says here that he has arranged for a modiste to come _here_ on Monday so that we may be fitted for, and choose, new dresses for the wedding!" Elizabeth said, occasionally glancing at the letter for the right words.

"Truly!?" Lydia exclaimed, her eyes suddenly shining with excitement.

With an amused shake of her head, Lizzy muttered, "What makes me think your excitement **isn't** over the books?"

Lydia couldn't make out what her sister had said, nor did she care, as all she could possibly think of doing that evening was finding the latest fashion plates her aunt kept and starting her planning. If Mr Darcy was paying she would make this the most expensive, elaborate dress she had ever owned!

While Lydia's mind drifted off into the world of frills, lace, ribbons, and silk, Lizzy began distributing the books to their new owners. There was the very latest publication on biological anatomy for Mary, who subsequently forgot all about her food as she immediately flipped to the first page and was lost to the world for the remainder of the day. Lydia received a novel written by a famed Italian storyteller to which she paid no attention, her mind still firmly stuck on the idea of yet another new addition to her wardrobe.

 _Oh, the girls at home are going to be so jealous! s_ he thought gleefully.

Kitty was gifted two large, colourful volumes of illustrations of various landscapes, animals, and people relatively unknown to the English population, and Jane was presented with a book of fables which she was delighted by, as could be expected, even though Mr Darcy had professed in his letter he hadn't the slightest idea what she liked.

For Lizzy there remained three bulky volumes concerning world history and ancient civilizations, focusing on ancient Egypt in depth. Between these books she found another note from her fiancé stating he had noticed her interest in the topic while still in Hertfordshire and that he was sorry it had taken his assistant so dreadfully long to procure these editions.

If Lizzy had been feeling pampered earlier, she now felt rather spoiled, and slightly guilty at the knowledge that she had no power to buy such expensive gifts for her soon-to-be husband. _Neither the power nor the means,_ thought she with a sigh.

Moving on to the trinkets Lizzy discovered three necklaces, each placed in their own elegantly engraved boxes and made of diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. Another box held hairpins which were encrusted with seemingly endless amounts of small rubies to look like blooming roses, and in yet another she found a vial of rich, sweet, exotic perfume which Darcy claimed was originally made in the east, and which he had commissioned from an old friend currently stationed there with the army. Lizzy barely managed to hide both her pleasure and despair at the realization of the cost of such gifts and it took all her willpower along with a few words from Fitzwilliam in the more bulky letter forbidding her from protesting or feeling anxious over his desire to lavish gifts on her to ease her mind. It was his way of reminding her how much he looked forward to caring for her, and being cared for by her, for the rest of their lives. At that precise moment, Lizzy determined she would send him a gift, or two, in return. She hadn't the money for such elaborate gems and jewels, but she did have her sincerity and creativity accompanied by a feeling of deep, abiding love.

Mr Gardiner, who had in the meantime been sorting through his mail handed Jane two letters, one from her mother and one from a Miss Emile. Mary received a letter from her father, and Elizabeth two envelopes one from Matlock house and another from an unknown address in Mayfair.

With great curiosity, and at the insistence of Kitty and Lydia that they too share in the news, the three women remained in the room as they read through the correspondence, Mary finishing first and informing them that their father had merely written to say all is well and that they were sorely missed. Sometime later, however, she made it known to her sisters that not only did their father admit to missing their presence but that he had included a letter from Mr Ferrars stating he would soon be in London too, having been invited by an old family friend to discuss a business proposition.

Having started with the letter from Lady Matlock, Elizabeth happily informed the family that they had all been invited to a gala dinner being hosted once more at Matlock house that Monday. Lady Matlock apologized for her delay in sending the invitation but Margaret, it seemed, had used more than half the invitations as drawing paper after sneaking into her grandmother's office and so they were not sure whether the dinner would be held at all until now.

The second envelope contained a rather surprising invitation. Reading its contents aloud to her audience, Lizzy felt deeply puzzled.

"The Marquis and Marchioness of Devonshire request the attendance of the Misses Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, Lydia, and Catherine Bennet at a ball thrown in the honour of their daughter's birthday on the 31st day of the month of January," Lizzy repeated, scanning over the address and the particulars included.

"Lady Devonshire?" Lydia muttered, "Was she not the woman who was so awfully rude to the milliner last week? How in the world does she know where we live? We weren't even introduced!"

The sentiment was shared by all present in the room, although they doubted the wisdom of rejecting such an invitation from someone so fortuitously connected.

Finally speaking her mind Mrs Gardiner said, "I suppose it couldn't hurt for you to attend and find out exactly what it is the lady wants. Honestly I shall be far more at ease if we could discuss this with Lady Matlock. She has far more experience in those circles and could provide us with the best path to pursue."

"Brilliant idea, aunt," Lizzy said with a smile, the feeling of odd trepidation not quite dissipating as she had hoped.

Their course of action settled, Jane proceeded to read the letter she had received from Miss Emile aloud, it containing very little apart from an invitation to visit their home the following day, and then continued on to the correspondence from their mother in silence. Several times during her reading she gave a dismal sigh, and at last, she dropped the letter onto the table saying, "Mama is still in poor spirits it seems, and even more so as Mr Bingley has returned to shut Netherfield permanently. He apparently wishes to find a different estate further North. Mama seems to have told him that my rejection was a mistake and that he oughtn't give up. She says he was greatly cheered by the news and seemed to return to his previous, cheerful self. I feel so dreadfully sorry for the gentleman but what in the world am I supposed to do now?"

None of the girls, nor their aunt or uncle, could find the words to properly convey their anger and disbelief at Mrs Bennet's actions. Not only was she giving a fine, if rather fickle-hearted, young man false hope but she was placing her daughter in an incredibly uncomfortable position. Even from miles and miles away she was interfering in her daughters' lives and it was becoming rather tiring, if not incredibly annoying.

* * *

Lydia, who was not all too surprised at the news, was however deeply irked. For the first time in her life she did not think her mother was being misunderstood and provoked by the rest of her family. She had always been her mother's favourite, her darling daughter, and yet it had only now begun to dawn on her that perhaps her mother never really liked her at all. After all, in the past week and a half she had sent only one letter and that to Jane. Not once had she written to ask about lessons, or outings, or anything of interest. All she truly wanted was to inform Jane that Mr Bingley now believed she was in love with him still.

This, after all Lydia's plans to make the man fall in love with her, then break his heart in revenge against men for treating her so foully, put the girl in quite an unhappy mood for the rest of the morning. Her mother was now not only interfering with Jane's plans but with that of her own as well. It seemed the only way for her to find satisfaction in the situation was to inform Mr Bingley of Jane's feelings herself and then relish in the joy of watching his face fall and his hopes be crushed exactly as hers had been by Wickham and Denny. And if she could include Caroline in her revenge, well, all the more reason to proceed with her plans.

* * *

 **A/N:**

My gosh! I am SO, SO, SO sorry for this incredibly unfortunate delay with my updates but I was kept completely busy this past week and didn't even have the time to open my laptop! I feel terrible for leaving you all out in the cold with the story! I'll just have to make it up to each of you!

I hope this chapter can at least START making up for my absence, and I promise I'll update as often as possible this week so we can all get back to enjoying the Regency world that was London!

Anyhoo, what did you think of the new chapter? Mrs B is SUCH a pain, isn't she? Always sticking her nose where it doesn't belong and now I feel rather sorry for Bingley too!  
And what about Lydia? She's maturing a little, and her character is developing in some ways, but she's still slightly petty, manipulative Lyds as always, and so she should be!

I wonder why in the world Lady Devonshire invited the girls to the ball, but we'll have to wait to find out won't we? ;)

 **Deanna27 –** thankfully the girls realized their silliness in time, although some ladies are already gossiping about the two unruly country girls visiting this season. They won't be too poorly affected by the gossip though, I'm sure!

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** Lydia's always at it with her quick comebacks and lack of patience for the snobbish ladies of the ton. It's quite refreshing to see I must say! xD

Well concerning the Mr Reeding vs Viscount Andrew dilemma, my lips are sealed, and therefore my fingers shan't type another word on the matter! :P

I also like Mr Winthrope as Kitty's tutor. He seemed like such a kindly fellow I couldn't NOT have him be part of the story. And YES (!) I'm so happy you recognized the symbolism in Kitty's painting! I reckoned if she liked imagining the absurd in her daily interactions she would probably connect the dots and find it rather amusing that the inhabitants of London were pretty much either ill-mannered beasts, or peacocks and parrots, constantly preening their feathers without much going on between their ears.

 **KurukiXV –** Welcome to the story! I'm really happy you're enjoying my little twist on the tale! xD

 **Suddenlysingle –** glad to hear you are enjoying the teeny bit of angst I'm playing with! And your play on words was hilariously delightful!

 **Zafira17 –** Thanks so much for your kind review! And yes! I can't wait for their reunion either! It is bound to be spectacular!

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT! I have returned from the eternal abyss to offer up yet another chapter of P&P goody-ness. Hope you enjoyed it and just so you know, I'm already hard at work on the next update!

Have an awesome day!


	27. A La Mode

Saturday was spent quite lazily by all in the Gardiner home except for Jane. She had left for Émile house at noon, and thus Mary, Lydia, Kitty, Elizabeth, and Georgiana, who had arrived at the early hour of ten o'clock, whiled away the day by playing with the Gardiner youngsters and dancing jigs across the drawing room while Mary pounded out an upbeat tune and their aunt sat sewing in the corner, a look of amusement upon her face.

* * *

Jane arrived at Miss Adele's home possessing far more confidence than she had upon her first meeting with Lady Matlock. She had chosen to wear the same dress she had at the time, accessorizing it with nothing more than a bright smile and rosy cheeks. The address at which she was deposited, having been accompanied by the Gardiner children's governess, was not quite as large as Matlock house however much could be said of its opulence. Furnished in the style most wealthy families in London preferred it was lavishly decorated, almost excessively so.

Miss Adele had been eagerly awaiting Jane in the entrance hall when the maid answered her knock and swung open the large, ornate wooden door, welcoming the girl in from the cold.

"Oh, Miss Jane, it is so lovely to see you!" said she, hurrying forward to greet her new friend. "I must admit I doubted whether or not you would accept my invitation after the horrible way Marie acted when we first met. Thankfully she is on a visit of her own today, gone to see a Miss Bungsley or something along those lines."

"Miss Bingley?" Jane enquired tentatively, receiving a delighted exclamation from Adele, "Oh yes _that_ was the name! Are you acquainted with the woman? Now that you mention her name I believe we met her at the Matlock Ball although I can't be entirely sure."

"We are acquainted, yes," Jane affirmed and then, trying to jog Adele's memory she added, "She has rather eye-catching red hair."

" _Ooooh,_ now I remember her! Yes she did seem to be exactly the type of woman Marie would be friends with. But no, we shan't discuss such dreadfully dull things - tell me where in the world did you find such a beautiful dress? The colours are absolutely breathtaking!"

As usual, Jane was quite drowned out by Adele's confident chattering, but it didn't seem to bother her all that much. She was far too kind to say anything, and far too understanding to feel annoyed at the fact that the girl now sitting opposite her took command of more than three-quarters of the conversation.

Jane had always been shy, always been soft-spoken, and always seen only the best in everyone but sometimes she couldn't help but feel the slightest pang of jealousy at the easy way Elizabeth, Lydia, Kitty, and now Adele, seemed to express themselves. She longed to chatter on as relentlessly as they did, but the ability always seemed to elude her.

Of course, when surrounded by people she knew well and trusted, her shyness seemed to disappear, but that was of no benefit to her in London as just about everyone she had met so far, save a few select individuals, left her feeling dreadfully intimidated.

Despite the effort it took on her part to consciously participate in the conversation, Jane found the afternoon to be a lovely outing in general. Adele seemed to be an overtly friendly young woman despite the fact that her upbringing had apparently rested squarely in the hands of her governess, her mother having passed away when she was but six years old. Her father, Adele shared, had refused to remarry and so she and her sister had seen very little of him throughout their childhood, him having thrown himself into his work with total dedication. Even now, more than twelve years later, he still put work above all else and so the girls had made peace with the fact, choosing not to resent the only parent they still had left over his method of mourning.

* * *

It was at some point during tea that Miss Marie arrived home. She swept into the drawing room, noticed Jane with an uninterested expression upon her face, and moved over to the tea table without a word of greeting.

"Good afternoon, Miss Marie," Jane said, her voice barely rising above a whisper.

"Did you say something?" Marie slowly turned, teacup in hand, and glanced in Jane's direction with a raised brow.

"I only wished you a good afternoon," came Jane's unsure, and rather confused, reply.

"Well, my dear Miss Bennet, it is _not,_ as you so optimistically observed, a **good** afternoon. In fact it is a rather _foul_ afternoon," the lady seemed to emphasize every syllable as she inched closer to where Jane was seated.

"Marie, please," came Adele's desperate plea.

With a smug look in her sister's direction, the bitter young woman continued, "I honestly do not understand what it is about you girls that seem to intrigue the men of London so thoroughly! Caroline only just informed me that her brother, who is quite wealthy mind you, was actually _interested_ in a naïve, plain, unaccomplished girl like you! How preposterous, isn't it Adele?"

Turning to glance at her sister she saw the girl turn alarmingly pale and draw close to tears, "Please. Marie, just leave us be! Miss Bennet is such a lovely woman if you would only look past your jealousy I'm sure you would see it too!" she exclaimed, noticing Jane's cheeks had reddened considerably and she looked intensely uncomfortable.

" _Jealousy?"_ Marie scoffed, standing mere inches from Jane's chair with her one hand on her hip and her nose firmly in the air, "How in the world could I be jealous of some country nobody and her silly, desperate, insignificant little sister who sunk her claws into Mr Darcy so quickly and firmly that the poor man shall be at the altar before he realizes his mistake!"

Adele could do no more than collapse into a puddle of tears at her sister's words. On the other hand, Jane, for the first time in her life feeling as though a fire had been set alight within her soul and as though her words could not leave her mouth rapidly enough, arose and stood squarely in front of the despicably amused looking woman.

With such a forceful tone she surprised even herself, Jane at last found the strength to voice her thoughts, "I do not have the slightest idea what you experienced to turn you into such a malicious, unkind person, Miss Marie, but I will _not_ have you say another word about my sister. I haven't the slightest care for the gossip and lies you spread concerning me but my sister has done absolutely nothing to warrant your hatred. I feel sorry for your own sister, having to suffer through your infantile behaviour on a daily basis, but I'll have you know that I shan't take another second of it," Marie seemed genuinely shocked at being addressed in such a manner, her hands suddenly falling limply to her sides as she shakily placed her teacup on the table before her.

"You wished to know why Mr Darcy chose Elizabeth when he could have married any woman in London. He chose her because she is clever, kind, and has such a genuine, loving heart that no one with half their wits about them could but acknowledge her beauty, which is more than could ever be said of you!"

And with that Jane stormed out of the room, found her pelisse, and saw herself out of the house, tears now well and truly streaming down her face. Only when she stepped into the chilling cold did she realize the carriage was not scheduled to arrive until at least twenty minutes later. Wrapping the shawl she had worn around her shoulders and neck she stood listlessly at the bottom of the stairs leading from the house. Her tears had quickly dried, but her head was still spinning from the outburst and suddenly she felt incredibly embarrassed at having reacted so impulsively to the woman's words. Embarrassed, but liberated. She had finally, _finally_ forced people to listen to her, to _really_ listen, and it had produced such a feeling of exultation, she felt as though she was just about walking on air.

"Miss Jane," a small voice snapped her from her revelry. Spinning around she found Adele standing behind her on the steps, her cheeks tear stained and her expression dismal.

"Miss Jane, I have no words to describe how terribly sorry I am. My sister has never been so incredibly malicious and I cannot for the life of me understand why she would act in such a manner."

Jane immediately regretted her words, seeing the effect they had on the poor girl standing before her, and leading her to realize how scathing her remarks must have sounded to girls who had spent much of their life protected from any sort of discord or negativity.

"It is I who should apologize," Jane said with a sad smile, "I'm afraid I was far too excited by my outburst. I had no desire to cause you pain or distress."

"No, please don't apologize. Your words were more than warranted, and perhaps it will help Marie not be so hasty with her insults in future," the girl gave a small laugh, although it was only meant to prevent her from sobbing aloud in the middle of the street. "Can't I convince you to come inside again? It is so dreadfully cold out here I don't want you to become ill because of my sister too!"

The words had only just left the girl's mouth when a carriage came rolling up the street and Jane, recognizing it as her uncle's, stepped in the girl's direction and gave her a light hug, thanking her for the afternoon which had been pleasant for the most part and promising her she held no ill-will towards her. Climbing into the carriage she fell back onto the seat, shut her eyes, and took a deep, long breath. Her hands were still shaking ever so slightly, and the governess who sat opposite her thought it best not to interfere, remaining absolutely still for the entire journey home.

* * *

Jane said naught about her encounter to any of her sisters that day. She knew they were each facing their own share of problems and she had no desire to burden them with something she was sure she would be able to manage herself. She did, however, recount parts of the altercation to her aunt who smiled sympathetically and reassured her she had done and said nothing wrong. This served to ease Jane's conscience immensely and helped her once more put on a smile and join in with her sisters and Georgiana as they all sat happily chatting and laughing away near the fireplace while they sewed and embroidered.

* * *

Sunday brought rain and dark thunderclouds, spurring all the family to remain indoors and resulting in Lydia, Jane, and the Gardiner children sleeping until nearly noon once more, reluctant to leave the warmth of their beds, and reveling in the gloomy atmosphere which made them feel quite comfortably lazy as they whiled away the hours falling in and out of consciousness.

Mary, who had been awake before eight o'clock as usual, sat with a volume of Fordyce's Sermons on a comfortable chair in the drawing room, having pulled it nearer to the fireplace in search of even more warmth than her thick shawl and long-sleeved dress offered. Kitty had, with the help of a footman, pulled her art table closer to the fire as well and now sat happily at one end humming an unknown tune and ignoring Mary's occasional shushing with an amused grin.

Elizabeth, who had suddenly come to realize how complex a task it would be to plan a wedding almost entirely on her own, sat in utter silence at the other end of Kitty's table, writing paper and materials strewn before her as she made, and remade lists, scrunching the scraps of paper and flicking them into the fire every few minutes with a look of childish delight. Her expression changed, however, when she began to pore over the list of duties Mrs Reynolds had sent her at her request. She needed to know more of what was expected of her as Mistress of Pemberley and the daunting list, consisting of more than four pages and only mentioning her responsibilities in brief, suddenly brought home the realization that her life would be changing in many, many ways very soon.

Feeling the need to make her worries known to _someone_ she had first decided upon discussing them with her aunt. However, on further contemplation, she realized that neither her aunt nor her mother would have any real knowledge of running an estate of such a size and that, if she and Darcy were truly going to be partners in life as well as love, they would have to learn to turn to each other for advice, and lean on each other when their burdens became too heavy to carry alone.

Making this sentiment known to her fiancé in yet another long, informative letter, Elizabeth once again realized how deeply she felt his absence, and how dearly she missed his steady, logical nature, and his unwavering support. She paused her writing then, a few tears running down her cheeks, pooling at the tip of her nose, and then dripping onto the paper before her. Oh, how desperately she wished Fitzwilliam was here now. How desperately she wanted to feel his arms around her, breathe him in, and feel the strength and comfort his embrace provided. He would reassure her, remind her that she would not be expected to do it all on her own. She felt overwhelmed by the responsibility she would be taking on along with the Darcy name but, once more steeling herself and finding courage in the fact that Fitzwilliam believed in her, she pulled herself together and finished her letter in a decidedly happier tone, reminding him of how much she missed him and her fervent hope that they would not remain apart much longer.

* * *

Monday morning passed in a flurry of activity. Having completely forgotten of the dinner when she agreed to Darcy's plan for the modiste to visit, Lizzy had sent the woman an express requesting she arrive as early as possible in the hopes of completing the first measurements and orders in time for all the girls to get ready for their evening outing.

It was a testament to Mrs Baudelaire's professionalism when she arrived on the doorstep of the Gardiner home just as the clock struck nine. Elizabeth, who had awoken first and had soon been followed by Lydia who was unable to sleep in her great anticipation for more dresses, had just finished her breakfast when the incredibly grand looking lady swept in followed by footman after footman carrying large crates, and nearly half a dozen assistants all holding wads of writing paper and looking rather flustered at the early hour.

Mrs Gardiner had arranged for the entire drawing room to be cordoned off for the rest of the day, the curtains drawn shut, the chairs moved against the wall, and several large mirrors set up at different angles. Numerous candles lit up the room and the simple chandelier that hung from the roof only added to the already bright atmosphere which was supplemented to an even greater extent by a roaring fire.

After greeting the family and requesting a few minutes so they could prepare their equipment, Mrs Baudelaire, who wore a dark velvet creation studded with what Lizzy thought could quite possibly be thousands of crystals, stepped outside and requested Elizabeth to join her first.

Lydia and Kitty, who had been given leave of their lessons for the day, were far too excited at the entourage's arrival and followed Lizzy eagerly into the drawing room, taking their seats in one corner after stealing a glimpse of the materials some of the boxes contained, their eyes shimmering at the sheer expense of the bounty.

"Ah, the bride-to-be!" Mrs Baudelaire exclaimed in approval as Elizabeth stepped closer to where the lady had set up her work station. "Yes! Yes! You shall do very, very well," she said thoughtfully, turning Lizzy in a slow circle and taking in every particular of her appearance, from her pale skin to her thick brown curls and green-specked brown eyes.

Lizzy felt rather ridiculous being thusly examined and her slight embarrassment showed in the pink tinge of her cheeks and the light laugh that escaped her mouth.

"Now, Miss Elizabeth, I assure you there is nothing at all to be embarrassed about! If you have been gifted with a fine figure you should be naught but proud of it!" Mrs Baudelaire exclaimed, tutting in disapproval as the colour of Elizabeth's cheeks deepened.

Stepping back from her appraisal the lady asked with great eagerness, "Do you have anything in mind for your wedding dress?"

Lizzy, who had given dresses and hairstyles very little consideration made the fact known and then, as if she had only just remembered something in particular, admitted she did have but one request. In as much a direct manner as she could manage she said, "I'm not a lavish, elaborate person, Mrs Baudelaire, and I would like my dress to reflect that. Aside from this, I have no other set ideas or opinions."

The lady broke into a brilliant smile, "Oh! How ecstatic I am to finally hear someone who will agree with me!" she exclaimed, turning to a rather studious looking girl on her right and continuing, "Lucy, can you believe our luck? I am so weary of ladies insisting on more frills, more lace, and more of those dreadful ribbons you, my girl, are a delight!"

Elizabeth was not at all accustomed to such grand praises and she could do very little aside from smile amusedly and wait for the lady to continue speaking.

"You know, both my mother and father are French, and so is my husband mind you, and in all my life working here in London I have not once encountered a lady under the age of one-and-thirty who had enough sense to request something simple! I constantly attempt to remind the women I serve that true elegance is having your dress _accentuate_ your beauty, not overpower it."

Walking over to the table across which was strewn seemingly hundreds of fashion plates and even more sketches, Mrs Baudelaire pored over the collection for several minutes leaving two of her assistants to help Elizabeth undress to her undergarments and begin her basic measurements, while yet another assistant stepped over to Kitty and Lydia who had been listening intently to the conversation and handed them each a thick, leather-bound volume that contained drawings and paintings of dress after dress and accessory upon accessory. With both girls now entirely absorbed in the books before them, Mrs Baudelaire had, in the meantime, begun selecting plates and sketches.

Lizzy had only just had her last measurement taken and neatly marked next to her name on a large sheet of paper, when the lady returned to her side and, taking her lightly by the arm, drew her over to the table where there now lay only about fifteen plates and around six sketches.

"These, I believe, will suit you wonderfully. You are quite athletically built even though your figure is petite and, if I may," said she, reaching forward to pick up a plate from the top of the strewn out pile, "Your shoulders are far more appealingly shaped than nearly all the women I've created dresses for, and I think it would be a horrid mistake not to show off such a coveted asset."

The plate she handed over to Lizzy portrayed a dress which, although far more risqué than anything she had worn before, only just skirted the boundaries of impropriety and thrilled Elizabeth with the prospect that she could wear such a thing and that Mr Darcy, and probably a quarter of London, would see her in it.

Seeing the flicker of uncertainty across her client's face, Mrs Baudelaire quickly attempted to reassure her, saying in a rather hushed tone, "I know this may seem a bit daring but I assure you it will not be anywhere near indecent. Your bosom is not nearly as voluptuous as some of the women I dress, and even though this neckline would be unthinkable on them, I am quite certain it was _made_ for you!"

Taking yet another uncertain look at the plate she held in her hands, Elizabeth scanned over the details of the bodice. Its waistline was slightly lower than what was currently fashionable but that was nothing to be worried about. What concerned Lizzy was the fact that the neckline would leave to nearly all of her shoulders completely exposed, and in addition to this the hem would sit quite low, leaving her collarbones and quite a bit of her chest visible to all. Despite her slight hesitance Lizzy couldn't help but feel something telling her this simply was _the_ perfect style for her. Determined to follow the modiste's suggestion, she turned to the lady who stood quietly waiting and, before she could change her mind, said, "I have never worn anything like this, but there's just something about the silhouette that I can't seem to ignore and so I must agree with you. This is definitely what I want."

With a joyous clap of her hands and yet another exclamation made for Lucy's benefit, the lady took the plate from Lizzy's hands and, with a quick spin on her heel, stepped over to the table again murmuring, "Now! What sort of skirt?"

It took quite a while longer for the decision to be made, Lizzy at first choosing a hooped style which would accentuate her waistline then changing her mind and contemplating a loose, much lighter set of skirts. At last, with a little help from Mrs Baudelaire and Kitty, who had wandered over at some point during the debate, she settled on a light, loose form that was just slightly longer at the back so as to create a short train which, Kitty insisted, would be the epitome of elegance.

Moving on to materials it was quickly settled that the dress would be constructed entirely from ivory silk, the same shade as the muslin gown Mr Darcy so loved to see her in, and that the thick band of material that would encircle her arms just below her shoulders, would be encrusted with a delicate chain of small emeralds.

Elizabeth had first protested vehemently at using embellishments as expensive as emeralds for a dress of all things, but she was given no choice but to hold her peace once Mrs Baudelaire, with a look of pleased amusement informed her it had been Mr Darcy's first, out of two, requests for her wardrobe.

What the lady did not know, however, was that Elizabeth's ensuing silence was not merely a sign of concession, but because she suddenly felt intensely curious as to what his second request could possibly be.

The wedding dress at last settled, the remainder of her orders passed comparatively easily. Although Lizzy's mouth hung open at the number of new outfits she would need, she could say very little to protest as Mrs Baudelaire simply waved a list of things she would need in her face with a good-natured scowl and refused to hear another word on the matter. In addition to several new ball gowns, and at least four new day dresses, Lizzy was made to choose coats and shawls, scarves, pelisses, Spencers, stockings, traveling dresses, and even two equestrian costumes even though she insisted she hadn't the slightest idea when they would ever be used. To her surprise she was also asked to pick four new pairs of slippers, and four new sets of dancing shoes too, along with bonnets and hats. Seeing the confused look on her face Mrs Baudelaire simply said, "I know how tiring it can be wandering from one milliner to the next, not to mention looking for the right shoes, so my assistants do it all for you!"

With a disbelieving shake of her head, and a rather incredulous smile, Elizabeth was at last dismissed, and Jane, who had arrived a few minutes after the wedding dress particulars had been settled, was requested to stand and begin the process of choosing her own outfit.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Well, well, well, there we have it! It's nice to see Jane finally stand up for herself and her sisters! Although, how typically Jane like is it to cry in shame as soon as you told someone off. That poor girl has a heart of gold.

And what would you imagine was Mr Darcy's second request? *eyebrows wag*

And what, oh what, has gotten Marie Émile's knickers in such a twist!?

I know Lizzy seems a little OOC, not quite as outspoken or impertinent as usual, but Jane Austen never really depicted her as entirely emotionless, or aloof. She has insecurities just as do all the other characters, and I would imagine after insisting for years she would remain in her father's house as an old maid, suddenly being engaged and set to leave her childhood home and beloved father and sisters forever could create some conflicting emotions. Needless to say the spiteful members of the ton are doing nothing to make her feel better, although Lady Matlock has been a veritable angel. Do not fret, though, fiery Lizzy will soon make her comeback. After all, her courage _does_ rise with every attempt to intimidate her!

Moving on,

 **HarnGin –** Oh dear, I hope you feel better very soon! And thank you for reviewing even though you felt ill, I really, really appreciate it! PS Your Lady Trudy has already been included in the upcoming chapters, I sincerely hope you like the way I write her part.

 **Mangosmum –** Lydia is a bit of a Caroline isn't she? She'll learn her lesson soon enough though. Or if not learn a lesson, per se, she will attempt to change her behaviour just a bit! And I totally agree about Miss Margaret! Such a little know-it-all but far too cute to be reprimanded!

 **Ayla –** I'm sooooo sorry it took such an age to start updating the story again, but THANK YOU for being so incredibly patient!

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** I quite literally look forward to your reviews every time I post a new chapter! Mrs Camden is a bit of a shrivelled prune isn't she? Well, _someone_ has to be the bad guy, unfortunately, and she just happened to be the lucky winner! xD I LOVED the bit where Kitty was making Margaret laugh with all her funny faces, it just felt like SUCH a Kitty thing to do! And yes, Lady Matlock is certainly an impressive character. I felt like she needed to explain why she acted so differently when around friends or family as compared to being surrounded by strangers. It's funny, in many ways Elizabeth and Lydia are very similar, Lydia just lacks the refinement, and perhaps the kindness too, that Lizzy so effortlessly exerts. Another thing that Lydia cannot do, as you so expertly pointed out, is deal with haughty/aloof people in any manner besides mocking them. While Elizabeth has mastered sarcasm, insinuation, and the art of passive aggression, Lydia is more of a straight up aggressively insulting sort of person when intimidated. It's not necessarily a bad trait, but it could leave her in far more trouble than she anticipates and that is where the true danger lies.

 **Zafira17 –** I know right!? A bouquet of books would be an absolutely lovely gift!

 **Deanna27 –** Haha, Mrs Camden will now, and forevermore, be known as nothing more than ONION LADY xD Oh gosh that really cracked me up!

 **AmyCampbell –** every time I type out your username FF deletes it for some reason, hence the not-actually-your-username username I used! Thank you for such a nice comment I promise I won't stop updating as regularly as possible until we finish the story completely, after which I'll probably find yet another scenario I want to explore and start another fic all over again!

 **Irina –** thanks for your input! Lady Devonshire is actually a Marchioness, although I realize you may have gotten her confused with an ACTUAL real life Duchess Devonshire. If that's the case I apologize for the mix up! I try my best to research every part of the story that I'm not totally sure of (like succession laws, the existence of art supply stores, and what sort of art/theatre/literature was popular at the time) but I do sometimes slip up.

TO ALL YOU OTHER AWESOME, MAGNIFICENT, WONDERFUL, SPECTACULAR REVIEWERS, thank you, thank you, thank you! You are the feathers to my Caroline, the poorly thought out betrothal to my Lady Catherine, and the moustache to my Mr Thornton! You guys rock!


	28. Life is Like a Game of Cards

Elizabeth, who felt in dire need of a respite from all the talk of dresses and materials, fashion plates and samples, went in search of Mary, who remained in the dining room quietly conversing with her aunt.

Joining their cheerful conversation she finally managed to turn her mind away from clothes, but only after giving Mrs Gardiner a detailed description of the wedding dress, of course. One difference between her mother and her aunt, and a difference that brought Elizabeth much relief was that Mrs Gardiner knew her niece to be a decisive, opinionated young woman and rarely interfered in her decisions unless explicitly asked to do so. Elizabeth was certain, had her mother been present that day, her dress would have become a spectacle of net and lace, embellishments and embroidery. Elizabeth, above all, wished to remain true to her origins. She wanted her dress to represent to all gathered at the wedding exactly what she offered her husband; no earthly riches, no extravagant gifts, only herself – her heart, her mind, her love, and her devotion.

Returning to the conversation at hand, Elizabeth was pleased to find the morning passed relatively quickly, Jane not taking nearly as much time as she simply said yes to every suggestion Mrs Baudelaire made, and Lydia and Kitty being ably handled by the modiste who had her fair share of experience in dealing with picky, indecisive young ladies.

Mary, who was by far the quickest to return to the dining room, had such plain requirements for her dress that Mrs Baudelaire seemed quite stunned at the simplicity and was forced, for the very first time in her career, to encourage and even insist on embellishments and a little lace.

Having completed most of their work, Mrs Baudelaire and her entourage took a short break for tea, returning only to remove all the non-essential items from the drawing room and then sending Lucy to quietly request Elizabeth's presence once again. Thankfully Lydia and Kitty were far too focused on describing every particular of their new designs to notice their sister follow the frail-looking assistant from the room, which allowed Lizzy much appreciated privacy for the next part of her fittings.

Mr Darcy, it seemed, had suggested Elizabeth also select several new nightgowns, as well as a few warmer robes.

Elizabeth at first saw no reason for the secrecy with which she had been summoned to the drawing room but her opinion soon changed when she was presented with the sketches of nightgowns from which to choose. Desperately she willed her face not to turn crimson as she leafed through the drawings each more daring and more inappropriate than the last.

"Did Mr Darcy select these?" she squeaked, both strangely exhilarated and incredibly embarrassed at the possibility.

"Good heavens, no!" exclaimed Mrs Baudelaire with light levity, "He only said he thought you might want some new nightwear. However, I know enough of the state of newlyweds to assure you these nightgowns will be quite essential come the honeymoon." Elizabeth hid her face in embarrassment, even more so when she saw, or at least thought she saw, Mrs Baudelaire give her a sly wink.

With more trepidation than Lizzy had ever before felt she selected three sketches which, although she could already tell the material would be paper thin, seemed to be the most modest of the collection. With an amused smile, Mrs Baudelaire set aside the three sketches and added to them two more, both in such a style that Lizzy's eyebrows immediately shot up and she shook her head vigorously, incapable of exhibiting any greater signs of embarrassment. The first had a neckline that plunged so incredibly low Lizzy was sure it would reach right to her waist if it had been just an inch or two lower. The second had its entire waistline made of thin, frail-looking lace, exposing much of the stomach, and extending so as to leave her entire back visible.

Lizzy decided then and there she had absolutely no intention of ever wearing such things, and determined to throw them into the very back of her wardrobe and forget about them for the rest of her life. Although she was not prudish, nor was she entirely naïve, the dear girl was still incredibly innocent, and Mrs Baudelaire seemed to find endless amusement in her current discomfort, knowing all too well that before a fortnight had passed after the wedding her shyness would be looked back upon in disbelieving merriment.

Having completed all the tasks they had set out to perform, Mrs Baudelaire and her assistants removed themselves from the Gardiner home, after showing off some designs to Mrs Gardiner, who seemed delighted with every detail. Left alone at last the girls hurried to prepare for dinner and at 6 o'clock that evening the company set off on the relatively short ride to Matlock house, each girl dressed to perfection, their faces glowing with the excitement of the day and the prospects of delightful company and entertainment that evening.

* * *

Although the Gardiner party arrived relatively late, the Earl, Countess, and Viscount still stood in the entrance hall awaiting their guests. It was with great ease, and many happy smiles, that the group was greeted. They were now seen as close friends, no longer merely acquaintances, and the change was a very welcome one. Georgiana, Lady Matlock informed Elizabeth, was already inside and had seemed exceedingly eager for them to arrive.

It was with slight embarrassment that the girls realized they were the last to arrive, and their apologies for their late arrival were profuse, even though they were all light-heartedly brushed off by the Lord and Lady.

With Mr Gardiner escorting his wife and Mary, Elizabeth was drawn along with the earl and countess, both intent on hearing more of her childhood and extended family. Thus it left Jane, Lydia, and Kitty to be walked in by the viscount and both the younger girls seemed gleeful at the favour shown them by the handsome, dignified young man.

Jane had just enough time to enquire after Miss Fitzwilliam and to be informed she was in perfect health and spirits, being once more given the freedom to roam about the upper floors at her leisure, when the group arrived in the ballroom which had now been converted into a dining room of sorts, with a jaw-droppingly long table stretching from one end to the other, set with the most dainty, exquisitely made cutlery any of the girls had ever encountered.

After having been deposited near the fireplace by their respective escorts the girls, and their aunt and uncle regrouped silently taking in the particulars of the room and its occupants.

Jane immediately spotted Mr Reeding at the opposite side of the hall, standing beside an unusually tall gentleman and seemingly absorbed in deep conversation. Lydia and Kitty, who had caught sight of Georgiana as they entered the room now rushed off in search of her and were subsequently graciously introduced to one of her extended relatives, a Lord Fairfax, who seemed to be well into his sixties, and rather skeptical of a girl as young as Lydia attending such a public event.

Needless to say Lydia's face suddenly turned very red at being put on the spot in such a manner, but thankfully the man didn't push the matter any further and the three girls hurried off in search of friendlier company.

Elizabeth, who had been wandering about the room, had just come to a stop before the seat assigned to her when she caught a glimpse of a familiar face on the opposite side of the table. A short, distinguished looking old man wearing thick spectacles and sporting the most outrageously coiffed moustache she had ever laid eyes on. For a second their eyes locked, the man seeming slightly startled, and then just as suddenly the moment passed and Lizzy glanced down to see who would be seated next to her in genuine curiosity. Noticing she had been seated between the Dowager Countess of Trent - a Lady Gertrude Carrington – and Kitty, she couldn't rid herself of the feeling that there was something peculiar about the man she had noticed. She'd seen him at the Matlock Ball, and now here he was once more, and she was nowhere nearer to learning his identity than before. Determining that such uncertainty and curiosity would most certainly not do, Lizzy scanned the room carefully and, noticing the object of her search standing alone in one of the furthest corners, she strode confidently in his direction, curtseyed upon reaching him, and introduced herself.

"Ah! A Miss Elizabeth Bennet, you say?" the man enunciated in a rather posh tone. Peeking over his glasses he seemed to take in every detail of Lizzy's face before continuing, "I am Mr Mortimer Thornton," he stated briefly, at last giving a small bow.

The silence that ensued his unusual reaction to the introduction was nothing if not awkward. At last, having gauged that Miss Bennet did not, thankfully, recognize his name, Mr Thornton spoke once again. "You are _the_ Miss Bennet, are you not?" to which Lizzy responded affirmatively, only later realizing she no longer even needed to ask what people meant by ' **the** Miss Bennet', she already knew they would only answer her inquiry with a simple 'the woman who is marrying Mr Darcy'.

In some small way, it irked her that she would from here on forward always be known merely as 'Mr Darcy's fiancé' and eventually 'Mr Darcy's wife'. It frustrated her to no end that as soon as a good match was made a woman's identity seemed to slip away as she became simply an extension of the man to whom she was married. As her mind drifted further into gloomy thoughts such as these she unconsciously reached for the engagement ring she still wore every day without fail. Twisting it around her finger she was clearly reminded of Fitzwilliam's words when he had first presented it to her gave and that remembrance provided her some peace of mind, while the engraving on the inner band, the initials E.B.D., to match its gemstones, reminded her that Darcy did not see her as just 'a bride' or just 'a wife'. She was her own person, with her own identity, capable of making her own decisions, and achieving whatever it was she set her mind to, and that was exactly what she planned to do.

Drawn back into conversation by the funny little man, Lizzy inquired into his line of work and, after learning he was a retired member of the Bow Street Runners, her interest was well and truly captured and she spent much of the first half of the evening in eager discussion of some of his previous cases and his encounters with London's underworld.

Mr Thornton, proud man that he was, felt delighted at being the center of attention once again and answered Lizzy's eager questions with great gusto, taking more and more of a liking to the young woman with every passing minute. The effect of Elizabeth's charm and genuine interest was not lost on anyone that bothered to look her way that evening, and that was just about every individual in attendance. Several young men glanced in her direction at separate intervals, wistfully observing the beautiful, charming woman who was now so entirely out of their reach. If she had been any other man's betrothed they would have dared approach her, and even flirted ever so non-committedly, but not a single soul present would dare encroach on the good graces of Mr Darcy's fiancé. Not only were they far too in awe of the wise, successful young man, but they were all too aware of his prowess with pistols and swords to dare test his patience or mercy.

* * *

Mary, who had refused to delve any deeper into the room than a few steps in the general direction of the crowd, found herself at last seated next to an ancient looking couple. While their tasteful clothing and the obvious dignity with which they carried themselves did much to impress on Mary their probable status and rank, their eyes were what caught her attention at first. Even beneath layer upon layer of wrinkles both the old man and woman sported bright green eyes, which seemed to shimmer vibrantly with good humour and intellect. A few more minutes of quiet contemplation was all it took for her to build up the courage to introduce herself and find, to her delight, two well-read, rather reserved individuals with which to hold a conversation. The man, it turned out, had been the Matlock family's personal physician, having delivered the Earl, the Viscount, and Colonel Fitzwilliam, while also having treated the earl's ailing mother in her final years. Such history and experience greatly interested Mary who also learned that the old lady was not, as she had first assumed, the doctor's wife, but rather his sister. Neither had ever married, and both insisted they had lived to such an old age through careful regulation of their diets in combination with regular exercise. Mary was utterly fascinated by the scientific implications behind their lifestyle and its effects on longevity, as a result, she spent much of her evening in their company, and the two elderly guests seemed ecstatic at having found such an eager listener.

Their conversation continued for some time longer, until Lady Matlock called for the attention of the guests and invited them to be seated, at which the three were separated, with Mary taking a seat between Lydia and her aunt. All the guests had only just quieted down when Kitty, catching sight of yet another familiar face, suddenly jabbed Lydia's ribcage with her elbow so forcefully that the poor girl had to clamp her hand over her mouth to prevent her yelping out loud in pain. Glaring angrily at her sister, she noticed Kitty's excited look and, following her gaze, her eyes rested on none other than the Greek-god of a man they had first seen at the theatre. He was now seated beside a pompous looking woman and seemed to be hanging onto her every word, looking even more delectably handsome than he had before. His jet-black hair, which had been so unruly when they first saw him, was now neatly combed back revealing his striking features and piercing eyes to an even greater extent. Lydia, suddenly forgetting all about her earlier pain and indignation, let out a long, wistful sigh. She would just _have_ to be introduced to the man, perhaps then she would be able to find out exactly how someone became so _incredibly, spectacularly, phenomenally handsome._

So distracted were the two younger Bennet girls that they neither noticed the first course being served nor did their eyes once flick over to where Jane was seated animatedly conversing with the man beside her, the Viscount no less.

* * *

Dinner was a pleasant affair, with surprisingly few comments regarding the Bennet girls' origins or wealth, mostly due to the fact that all gathered were hand-picked by the Countess in order to keep said comments to a minimum.

Lady Gertrude, both Elizabeth and Kitty found, was a charming woman. Even at first glance, she seemed kind, and lacking the airs and graces so common to the upper class. Her dress was simple, yet tastefully made, her jewelry was inconspicuous, and her long grey hair had been neatly twisted into a chignon without a single ribbon or decorative hairpin in sight.

The lady, it turned out, was a close friend to the Matlock family, the verity of her claim only later proving a gross understatement as she was the Countess' godmother and her daughter had grown up alongside the Countess despite the fact that she had been several years younger.

Elizabeth, who took an instant liking to the neat, jolly-looking lady, soon fell into deep conversation with her and, by the end of the night, an invitation to visit that coming Friday had been extended not only to Elizabeth but to the rest of her party too.

* * *

Kitty, who had absent-mindedly been eating far more than usual, her attention flicking constantly between Lady Gertrude, who she rather liked, and the demi-god stranger to her far left, who she couldn't help but stare at every few minutes, felt decidedly full by the end of dinner. In fact, she felt so full that her dress had become rather uncomfortable and she arose from her seat with a grateful, relieved sigh as the rest of the women too stood and began to make their way to the drawing room.

* * *

Jane, who had spent much of the evening discussing the various delights and pitfalls of London society (Jane feeling confident to discuss the latter after her interaction with Marie Émile) with the Viscount, seemed invigorated after spending time in such pleasant company, and this did not go unnoticed by Lady Matlock who had her suspicions but wisely chose to keep them to herself.

The Countess had not missed the pleased expression on Andrew's face when Jane took such great interest in Margaret, nor had she looked past the obvious admiration her son had for the shy, soft-spoken, and very beautiful young woman.

However she could also not dismiss the fact that Jane had shown decided favour to Mr Reeding, and he had done so in return. She only hoped Andrew wouldn't lose his heart to the girl if her interest lay elsewhere. He did not deserve any further pain or disappointment.

 _Not after what happened to dear Margarita and that poor, helpless child. He has been given far more than his fair share of burdens to bear in this life; yet another heartbreak may ruin him entirely._

* * *

Having at last found a comfortable seat in the near center of the room, and hoping her centrality would eliminate the need to stand up too often for the next hour or so, Kitty fell onto the couch with a rather ungracious groan, being joined by Lizzy on one side and Georgiana on the other. Many of the women present were well past their thirties and it seemed as though every young, single girl had nothing on their mind besides displaying their skills on the pianoforte amd thus the Bennets and Georgi were left much to their own devices, not that they minded to be honest. At some point the Countess and Lady Gertrude took their seats opposite the three girls who lounged comfortably, listening to yet another poorly imitated rendition of a wildly popular Beethoven classic and unanimously agreeing Georgi could play it far, far better, much to the girl's embarrassment. The two stately women had been seated side by side for quite some time discussing rather mundane subjects, when Kitty's ears caught the words 'Richard' and 'army' and suddenly her attention was entirely elsewhere.

"Have you had any word from him since the attack?" she heard Lady Gertrude ask in concern, and suddenly her blood ran cold.

"He wrote very little about two days ago, his arm is now only confined to a sling and he insists we are worrying needlessly, but _oh_ Trudy, I cannot help but think that had the wound been even slightly to the left he may not, he wouldn't have, I cannot bear to go through something like that again. Not after Margarita. Andrew would barely eat for months after her passing. I haven't the slightest idea what would happen if his brother died."

"Do not distress yourself so!" came Lady Gertrude's soothing reply, "Richard is a strong boy, he has survived far too many a battle not to return home safely once again, rest assured my dear."

Kitty saw Lady Matlock give a small, if not entirely convinced, smile, nodding her head vigorously and taking a deep breath to steady herself. Plastering a bright smile across her face once more she arose and, seeing one of the younger ladies standing rather forlorn and alone in the corner, she crossed the room to offer her some tea, and the conversation was well and truly over.

Over for all but Kitty whose heart still felt as though it had stopped beating entirely and whose hands had suddenly become ice-cold. _The Colonel could have died?_ she thought, her head buzzing slightly at the idea that such a lively, vibrant person could at any moment simply no longer _be._ Unbeknownst to Kitty, Lady Gertrude had noticed her reaction to overhearing the news of Richard's injury, her blanching face and sudden inhalation more than enough evidence of the distress the revelation caused, and the lady was now well and truly curious to know the reason behind such a strong emotional display. However, with the wisdom of her years and her more than ample tact, she refrained from questioning the girl at that precise moment. She was obviously shocked, and being plagued with questions would do nothing for her state of mind except worsen her distress.

* * *

With Kitty blatantly ignoring all her comments, Lydia, who had been standing beside her utterly oblivious to the conversation her sister overheard, wandered off in search of someone more interesting to speak to. After being spurned by nearly half the women she had first approached and finding the other half so dreadfully dreary she feared she may fall asleep during their conversation, she made her way to an emptier corner of the room and plopped down on a chair with a sigh. _When, oh when, will the men be joining us?_ she wondered, desperate for more lively conversation.

Just as she made up her mind to pour herself yet another cup of tea, or perhaps she would be allowed to drown her sorrows in a glass of wine, the doors to the drawing room swung open and the Earl and Viscount strolled cheerfully in followed by the rest of the gentlemen in attendance that evening.

With fresh faces the company soon broke into groups as card tables were set up, all but Mary and Elizabeth joining the games, although Georgiana made sure she stayed at Jane and Mrs Gardiner's table all evening, not feeling quite up to as competitive a game as the other ladies were intent on playing.

Lydia had noticed the handsome gentleman that had earlier caught her eye was now seated at play with the stern Lord Fairfax, an elderly lady she didn't recognize, and the tall gentleman Jane had mentioned Mr Reeding had been speaking to earlier. Their game seemed to be the most competitive as several young ladies, and quite a few gentlemen stood around the table, eagerly observing the plays each participant made and, in whispers so as not to be heard, insisting to their companions that they would have played the match far better.

After Georgiana nigh pleaded Lydia to play on her team, the poor girl had no choice but to join Jane, her aunt, Kitty and Lady Gertrude at a table, although she **did** make her frustration at being put up against such poor players loudly heard by all in her near vicinity.

* * *

Three games in, and with Lydia having won each and every one of them, the women at last relented and let the girl put an end to their suffering so she could go in search of more competitive players. The ladies that remained at the table were, in truth, far more interested in making conversation than actually focusing on the cards in their hands.

Finding an empty seat at the Viscount's table, and with Lady Matlock apparently also taking part in the game, Lydia decided this would be her best option to grab some attention, having already seen one tell-tale sign of puzzlement on the Viscount's face, and noticing the Countess lightly slid her finger over the sapphire pendant around her neck whenever she believed she would win. Now there were merely three other players to observe and she would be sure of her triumph.

* * *

 **EDIT:**

I have been such a nincompoop, I totally forgot to credit the amazing Micaela Royo and HarnGin for their incredible character creations (The Duke/Edward, and Lady Gertrude, respectively). I hope I do your ideas justice, if not, feel free to smack me on the head with a frying pan until I do. All aspects of those characters belong to their creators, I'm just playing around with them and doing my best to bring each of them to life!

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hello there all you awesome people! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and can I just say THINGS ARE STARTING TO HEAT UP A BIT! Finally! xD

Also, I am LOVING the reviews you guys left, so thank you again for always putting words to your thoughts! Some days I feel as though writing another chapter is the LAST thing I want to do, then I come and browse through the reviews for inspiration and WHABAM! I'm too excited to keep the story going and therefore I MUSTTTTT write!

What do you think of Mr Darcy's second request? I know some speculated it would be this crazily erotic suggestion but I do rather prefer Mr Darcy to act as much a gentleman as he claims himself to be. Of course he has his desires, but I don't think he would be the type to push Lizzy into anything like that just yet. Besides, this story is rated T for a reason so I'm afraid those of you anticipating a steamy, in detail description of their wedding night and all that are going to be a bit disappointed. There will be steamy scenes, of course, but I don't want this story to solely revolve around playing up every moment between Lizzy and Darcy the way some other fics do.

Anyhoo,

 **Mangosmum –** I admit I reached for the smelling salts too as I wrote that bit!

 **Charlotteandlizzy –** I agree that Lydia has lots of potential, yet she is till only 15 and does have more than enough time to grow up and find her way in the world as long as she stays out of trouble enough to get the chance to do so. But knowing Lyds, life will never be that easy! xD I also really, really, really don't like Mr Bingley. I have nothing against him as a person, per se, it's just he's so gullible it's rather hilarious. He is the result of a far too lavish, protected childhood where the only discipline the kids get are being prevented from riding their pony for a day, or perhaps a light telling off and a treat just so his parents wouldn't feel too guilty for barely ever seeing their son. Something along those lines at least!

 **HarnGin –** It's good to hear you're feeling better! I really love the dress too, and I actually have a picture of one very similar to what I had in mind, I just need to find a way to upload it somewhere where you all can check it out too!

 **4littlemckay –** I really like having the female characters in my stories push their limits as well. Especially in stories set in an era where women were only expected to be placidly obedient to their husbands and society's dictates! And thank you for your comment!

 **HappyLizzy –** If Elizabeth is Cinderella, could we please turn Mrs Camden into a pumpkin? I mean she's already been likened to an onion so it wouldn't be too far off base!

 **LadyLizzyPuff123 –** Hahahaha I LOVE eyebrow waggles! xD Oh gosh, yes! I would not want to share anything even close to that with my mum either! And yes! I love the fact that Jane is learning a bit. Honestly each of the sisters have work to do on their personalities. Jane needs to learn appearances don't always equal reality, Lizzy needs to learn to do the same but, unlike Jane, she assumes the worst of people while Jane assumes the best. Kitty needs to find her voice, and definitely learn a few lessons on the realities of the world she is now entering as an adult, and Lydia, oh dear, I don't think one paragraph would be enough to discuss what Lydia needs to learn but let's just call it 'growing up' for the sake of brevity. And dear old Mary needs to learn to engage with people more, and step out of her comfort zone more often! Ah so many goals, so little writing space xD

 **Deanna27 –** I think we all felt a sense of collective triumph when Jane finally stood up to Marie, even though it was on her sister's behalf. As always, thanks for always leaving a comment on the new chapter, it's super appreciated!

 **Suddenlysingle –** I'm soooo sorry if there's been confusion in regard to the dates! As of this chapter we are in late January, and I know we're all really looking forward to the wedding but I just keep. getting. held. up. by everything else that's happening! xD It's like I know I want to get to that chapter but first I want to discuss Jane's feelings, then look at Mary's development, then chat about the Matlocks, and on, and on it goes! I think we'll soon start seeing a bit more of Jane's thought process as Lizzy will be leaving to Kent in a few chapters which makes it wayyyy easier to write the story from various sisters' points of view. I admit it has been dreadfully difficult to give each sister her fair share of attention when they are all in one place, but it just had to be done!

 **The ambivert traveller –** I can't comment on the Jane/Reeding/Viscount mystery, but I can say that books are definitely THE perfect gifts. Why don't people give each other more books, I mean c'mon! xD

There you have it, another chapter done and dusted, and the next one is almost ready to be posted as well! Yay!


	29. Favour of the Odds

Lydia lost the first game and the Countess, aware of the difficulties the Bennets faced in London, attempted to persuade the girl to quit and perhaps save her the embarrassment of losing too often in such a public setting, Viscount Fitzwilliam being known as a very good card player and no easy challenge, but Lydia would have none of it.

"Oh I am sure I just made a rather silly mistake!" she exclaimed sweetly, having observed exactly what she hoped she would during the rather brief game. "I promise I shan't give up so dreadfully easily this time," she added, smiling slyly even though she did her best to seem as innocent as possible.

True to her word Lydia won the next game. She won by such a large margin that both the Viscount and Countess stared at her in amazement. Insisting it was merely beginner's luck the old man opposite her sat up as straight in his seat as possible, determined to get the better of this country girl who seemed far too young to be playing with adults in any case.

To all at the table's dismay, all except Lydia of course, she took both the third, fourth, and fifth rounds, although the fifth had proved decidedly more difficult as she became _quite_ distracted by her handsome stranger seated at the table above her own. At last, admitting defeat in quite a state of shock and awe, the Viscount arose and excused himself from the table with a disbelieving smile and high compliments to the young girl who had bested him so effortlessly.

Reveling in the taste of victory as she sat quietly with a pleased smile on her face, Lydia was drawn from her thoughts by the Countess' impressed, yet somewhat amused, voice.

"I don't think I've ever seen Andrew so thoroughly beaten!" said she with a light laugh, "Where did you learn to play in such a manner?"

"My father taught me the basics, your ladyship, and I learned how to win through very little more than observation."

At this the old man seated to her left exclaimed, "How remarkable!" and for the first time, Lydia felt as though the odds were finally turning in her favour. _What an absolutely delectable feeling!_ she thought, her spirits high and her face reflecting her obvious pleasure at the compliments she received.

"I must have you play against the Duke," Lady Matlock said in great determination, "He is the best player in London by far and I may just be fanciful, but I believe you can provide him with a very good challenge, my girl."

Lydia, who hadn't the slightest idea who this Duke was, although she did notice the Countess look over at the table that had been catching her eye so regularly that evening, and merely assumed it was one of the old men seated there, the women having been defeated so thoroughly they soon excused themselves in search of better prospects for impressing the gentlemen.

What Lydia did notice, however, was that that specific table was playing at stakes far higher than she could afford, and she had just begun to make her excuses when the Countess arose, saying with a reassuring smile, "Now, I shan't take no for an answer! I have waited many years to see someone defeat the Duke of Avondale at, arguably, his most preferred game and I would be entirely remiss if I didn't act as your sponsor, so that I too may claim victory, no matter how small a role I truly played."

Lydia's gratefulness knew no bounds, and suddenly she found she rather liked Lady Matlock who seemed to anticipate her every thought, and show her support so openly.

"Very well," Lydia said with an excited nod and a bright smile, "Let us see what I can accomplish!"

Pleased with the girl's reply, Lady Matlock walked over to the table, which had just finished its latest game, and said, "Well, Edward, it seems I have found you a challenger at last," and you can imagine Lydia's surprise when none other than the Grecian stranger she had been quite obsessed with all evening gave a good-natured laugh and replied, "Do you really wish to vouch for yet another contender, Lady Matlock? You do remember what happened to Andrew last time, do you not?" at which even the Countess let out a laugh, and reassured the man the player she had chosen would certainly offer more of a challenge.

"Well, I shan't prevent you from bringing me more prey, so do call the gentleman over!" the Duke finally acquiesced, without noticing the mischievous look on the Countess' face.

"Miss Lydia, it seems the Duke has agreed to our challenge!" she called with a quick grin to the girl who stood patiently waiting next to her earlier seat.

"Miss?" the man exclaimed in surprise, "Surely you do not expect me to play against _her?_ " he added, taking in both Lydia's youth and the fact that she was most certainly not London-born, or raised.

"I do indeed," came the Countess' reply as Lydia, who had heard his cry of surprise, took her seat across from him, a look of fearsome determination in her eyes.

"Do not fret over my feelings, nor my abilities, Your Grace," she said with a sickly sweet look on her face, "I assure you it is not the first time a gentleman has doubted either."

The shock at being so directly addressed by someone so inferior to himself showed spectacularly as the young man furrowed his brow and then, as her words sunk in, gave a delighted laugh and called for the game to begin.

For the first half, Lydia played well, although not quite living up to her full potential. In truth she was merely biding her time, looking for every sign of triumph or despondency on her opponents' faces, and taking note of every gesture and expression the gentlemen showed as they took their turns. It was just as the Duke gave a triumphant smile, sure that the victory would soon be his, that Lydia spotted exactly what she had been searching for and, adjusting her seat ever so slightly and sitting up just a tad straighter, she put all her focus into the game at hand.

The four other gentlemen, including the astounded Lord Fairfax, were soon left far behind and quite blatantly forgotten as the Duke and Lydia faced each other squarely, each becoming more and more set upon winning with every card revealed and every action taken. Eventually, the other players surrendered, realizing they were entirely out of their depth and resorted to watching the remaining two with great interest. Never before had they been bested by a woman, not to mention someone so young, and their fascination at the girl's abilities only grew by the minute.

The Duke, on the other hand, was suddenly feeling an immense amount of pressure to maintain his title as Master of Cards. He was finding the task incredibly difficult however as the girl sitting across from him seemed to anticipate his every move and it was not doing his confidence, nor his composure, any favours. In addition to this, a group of spectators had gathered and it seemed all in the room were on the side of the new contender, the challenger, the usurper.

Minutes slowly ticked by, with very little progress being made on either side when suddenly Lydia gave a small smirk and laid down her winning hand. The tension spiked as all in the room awaited the Duke's reaction, whether he would admit defeat or counter her hand with an even better one of his own. With an incredulous shake of his head and an equally shocked look on his face, he threw down his cards and raised both hands in defeat. The room erupted into cheers as Lydia arose and, with one last evil grin in the Duke's direction, curtseyed to the gentleman, and vacated her seat.

"Good heavens, Edward! What a game!" she heard a young man exclaim with great fervour and she flashed the speaker a smile that left him well and truly mesmerized.

"I chose wisely didn't I?" came the Countess' delighted voice, and the Duke could do naught but bow towards Lady Matlock and Lydia in turn.

"My dear girl, you have well and truly robbed every guest here of their good sense this evening," exclaimed the Countess once the crowd had somewhat dispersed, "I doubt they will ever again underestimate someone due to their age alone. I certainly learned my lesson." The lady's confession surprised Lydia, having never heard her mother admit to being wrong in all the fifteen years of her life. Yet here was a woman, above her mother in both rank and wealth, doing precisely what Mrs Bennet had always claimed to be a sign of weakness. The difference was striking, and the occurrence remained with Lydia long after the dinner came to an end and all in attendance returned home.

After claiming such a marked victory, Lydia became instantly popular as all the young men and women rushed to her side, eager to learn exactly how she had won and whether they too would be able to learn to play so very well. With a feeling of great pride, and just the smallest hint of spite towards all the guests who had brushed her off earlier she merely replied, "Oh dear, such skill can't be taught I'm afraid. You're either born with it or you aren't," and with that she stepped away from the group, leaving them all rather speechless at her manner of addressing them, but none having anything to say of the matter as they were all still too intent on deciphering her methods to feel insulted by her reply.

Collecting a cup of very hot, very sweet tea Lydia had only just taken her seat near the fireplace, the card tables now well and truly occupied by guests who were desperately trying to emulate her victory, when the Duke walked up to her and, in an attempt to show off his irreproachable sportsmanship at being so singularly defeated, said, "I must congratulate you, Miss Lydia, I have never before been defeated by a woman."

"Am I supposed to be flattered by such a comment, Your Grace?" Lydia immediately countered, noting with satisfaction the look of confusion upon the Duke's face, "Is my victory so impressive, so singular, _just_ because I am a woman? Is that what warrants your praise? Or is it rather that in a game of wits, sir, you are at an immense disadvantage?"

Anger suddenly flashed across the gentleman's face, "Incredible! Here I stand, a Duke nonetheless, and in every way your superior, yet you dare to berate me for simply complimenting you?" he said with a slow shake of his head.

"It was not, as you put it, a compliment. Rather, it was nothing more than a sign of patronizing superciliousness on your part, and I see no reason to thank you for it!" Even Lydia felt surprised at her outburst. She had, at first, been ecstatic at the realization that the young, very, very attractive man, who was apparently still unmarried, was a Duke of all things, but that seemed to matter very little in comparison with the anger she felt at being belittled in such a manner.

As suddenly as he had appeared to offer his distorted compliment, the young man seemed to calm down entirely and, with what Lydia identified to be at least some shred of sincerity, he said, "You are not entirely wrong. I should not have attributed my praise to the fact that you are a woman. You did best me quite thoroughly, and for that, I offer my sincere compliments."

Suddenly feeling her anger deflate as well, and keeping in mind Lady Matlock's gracious nature at being proven wrong, Lydia surprisingly accepted both his apology and his compliment and, with a small smile to show her attempt at restoring good will, she returned his praise stating she too had never in her life been so extensively challenged _"by a man"_ she couldn't help adding, pleased to see the Duke smile amusedly and take a seat beside her.

* * *

In its totality, the dinner had been a smashing success and each of the girls, except for poor Kitty, left Matlock house in high spirits from their evening's entertainment. It was in the carriage ride home that Lizzy informed the group Lady Matlock had advised her to accept Lady Devonshire's invitation. The Countess, she recounted, seemed quite sure the letter had been sent merely out of curiosity and that the ball itself would simply be an opportunity for both the Marchioness and her daughter to suss out their competition. The matter decided, all the members of the household fell into a deep sleep as soon as their heads touched their pillows that night, all except Kitty of course, who's mind, of its own volition and against her will, constantly drifted to Colonel Fitzwilliam, his wellbeing, and if she would ever be able to face him again after he had so unwittingly broken her heart.

* * *

Tuesday saw the arrival of five new dresses from Madame Devy's. Lydia's impatient inquiries over the last few days had become mightily tiring and it was with an audible sigh of relief that Mary received the footman, carrying a large trunk, in the drawing room that afternoon. With both Lydia and Kitty's lessons completed for the day, as well as those of the Gardiner children, it was a rather substantial party that gathered in Lydia and Kitty's room while the girls each tried on the new creations and paraded around to receive their compliments and comments.

Emma, seated on her mother's lap, kept loudly inquiring whether or not one of the girls had finished getting dressed while Dorothy did her best to remain poised and graceful, hoping against hope her thoughts on each dress would be taken with as much seriousness as she believed they warranted.

First came Mary, who looked positively charming in beige cotton with a netted skirt covered in intricately embroidered peach coloured flowers. The Van Dyke trim of her sleeves only added to the overall appeal of the dress and, although disappointed that there was not a sparkle in sight, Emma couldn't help but admit it was very pretty after all.

Lydia hurried out next, determined not to be last and therefore likely overlooked. Her dress, in such a deep blue it could almost be mistaken for black, was positively eye-catching. To contrast with the dark shade of its skirt, the bodice was made of pure white satin, while a thin, scarlet net had been draped over the skirt creating an interesting silhouette, and an even more intriguing combination of colours. To Emma's delight, the red netting was studded with small crystals around Lydia's waist and even Mrs Gardiner had to admit that, although certainly unusual, the dress did suit Lydia's _vibrant_ nature.

Kitty stepped out just as her sister returned to Elizabeth's room to change after first staring at herself in the mirror for a few moments longer. As soon as Emma caught sight of the dress she squealed in delight. Once again pale pastel colours, ranging from green, to blue, to purple, formed the backbone of the outfit, although the entire bodice was completely encrusted with transparent crystals on a white cotton backdrop. Instead of long, flowy sleeves, Kitty's bare arms were covered by intricate lace that clung to her skin and seemed utterly daring, almost exotic. Both Dorothy and Emma leapt to their feet to get a better view, and even Mrs Gardiner insisted on calling Kitty over so she could take a look at her sleeves in detail.

At last came Elizabeth, in her royal purple attire, the deep, elegant colour broken only by the brilliantly white shawl draped over her shoulders, and the attention-stealing diamond hanging around her neck.

As soon as Mrs Gardiner saw Lizzy her eyes welled up with tears and she stood to draw her niece into a light embrace. Holding her at arm's length, she couldn't help but say "Oh, you look so beautiful, my dear girl. Every bit a Darcy and you aren't even married yet," at which even Elizabeth's eyes began to feel strangely wet and she pulled her aunt into a tight embrace once more, soon joined by the two girls who seemed delighted by the fact that the dress' soft, flowing material provided ample hiding place as their mother laughingly demanded they untangle themselves that very instant.

Last of all came Jane, having helped all four her sister dress first before even thinking of herself, as was usual.

Jane, in a dress the skirts of which were layered in multiple shades of blue, and embellished with deep blue crystals, was Emma's greatest delight that day. It seemed as though the night sky was directly reflected onto the dress and both little Emma and Jane seemed ecstatic with the result. Dorothy and her mother couldn't agree more with their happy effusions and soon all four sisters returned to the room as well to inform Jane they were quite sure she would be taking up all the attention the next evening, at which the young woman simply shook her head vehemently and insisted it would be Elizabeth, "You are, after all, attending your first ball at a stranger's home and there will certainly be many gathered without the slightest clue to your identity. That, accompanied by your beauty and that dress, is sure to make you the star of the evening."

Lizzy, who knew there would be no persuading Jane to see herself as the true belle, only shook her head, reassured by the fact that at least _she_ knew all eyes would be on her eldest sister the following evening, and in many ways neither Jane nor Elizabeth were wrong.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Yay! Another chapter! And wasn't Lydia a feisty one in this update?

Next, the Devonshire ball, with all its drama.

 **Once again, the Duke of Avondale belongs to the wonderful Micaela Royo, and Lady Gertrude is the amazing creation of HarnGin!**

Now, to address ze very numerous reviews!

 **Deanna27 –** I'm desperate to let you all get to know Mr Reeding and the Viscount as well, but it is a bit of a struggle managing all five the Bennets' storylines, especially when they're all in the same place! Hopefully with Lizzy heading off to Hunsford soon we can get back to Jane, Kitty, Mary, and Lydia's stories in detail as well!

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** Your detailed reviews always bring me joy! I really like Mrs G too. I wish I had an aunt like her! Poor Kitty has a lot to face still and I agree that it is a bit eye-opening to realize that even the most vibrant, life-loving people are subject to mortality just like everyone else. For Kitty, especially, who likes to see the magic and fantasy in life I can imagine it would be a painful realization. Good guess for Mr Darcy's second request! xD

 **Alisonpaige215 –** haha I feel like you will all have my head on a silver platter if I decide to pair Jane with Mr Reeding! Who would have thought the Viscount would have such a large fandom after saying barely 10 sentences ;)

 **HarnGin –** I'm sooooo glad you approve of Lady Trudy so far! And as I've been writing her into the story a bit more I have to say I LOVE the addition of the cats! They're brilliant! Your comment on the size of the dinner actually had me thinking how difficult these events could be for very shy people. No wonder Mr Darcy, and Mary to an extent, really hate such social gatherings! I think it must have been very trying to be an introvert in Regency London society.

 **Norarob1956sis-** Thank you so, so much for your lovely review! I add one chapter every 3-4 days, sometimes more often, sometimes less often xD. I have thought of publishing but I honestly haven't got the slightest idea how to go about it, and besides that I don't know if I want to take down the story for publishing. I know how I hate starting a really good fanfic and then coming back a week later to find, instead of new chapters being added, all but 3 have been removed because the author's decided to publish.

 **Marispell –** thanks to Google translate I understood your comment xD To answer your question about how Lizzy recognized Mr Thornton – she had seen him at the Matlock House dinner

 **Tigrchic8 –** Thanks for reading and reviewing! Around chapters 11-13/14 Lizzy has a bit of a breakdown, and I know many other fanfics portray her as super strong, capable of handling any amount of criticism, and pretty much being impervious to any form of insecurity, but I think after more than 20 years of her mother constantly rebuking her for things she did not do, or could not help (her impertinence, for instance), it would have begun to take an emotional toll. She had always been strong for her sisters, and her father wasn't really an option to talk to about her feelings, so when Darcy came around it was finally someone else's turn to be strong FOR her. I think that's why Darcy and Lizzy are so good for each other, they support each other in things they would otherwise be left to face alone. Lizzy helps Darcy at last grieve for his parents, after having to be strong for Georgi and the Darcy legacy's sake for so long, and Fitzwilliam gives Elizabeth the chance to finally just let her emotions show. It's about two strong, stubborn, wilful people learning to open themselves up to each other and that they no longer have to deal with their pain alone.

Alrighty! Hope you enjoyed the update! I'm soooo excited to carry on posting so keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter! xD


	30. Hell is Empty

The Bennets felt decidedly nervous on their way to the Devonshire Mansion, as it was their very first outing without their uncle and aunt accompanying them. All were slightly anxious except for Mary, who had, just that evening, received a letter from Mr Ferrars informing her of his arrival the following week and as such she remained _quite_ distracted all day even though she would never, ever admit it.

Lydia had at first thought she would have to put up a fight to be allowed to accompany her sisters, as she wasn't quite sixteen yet and still very young to be out according to London's standards, but neither Elizabeth, nor her aunt or uncle, had seen any reason to keep her at home. Apart from obviously having begun to mature, even though it was only a very slight change, Lydia had also proved capable of behaving herself at the previous events they attended. More than anything, however, none of the Bennets nor the Gardiners felt any desire to engage in yet another argument with the girl. It was both a tiring and incredibly frustrating, endeavour that would doubtless fail in the end.

Thus it was that the five girls sat in their uncle's carriage, which had come to a stop behind a rather long queue of far more luxurious carriages waiting to be conveyed to the venue's main entrance, and intermittently commented on the looks of the houses and people they passed.

Each of the girls had donned their new dresses and felt appropriately stylish, having the assurance that at least they wouldn't seem completely foreign to London society any longer, at least not wearing outfits created by one of the ton's most popular modistes.

At last, their carriage drew up to the bottom of a set of elaborately sculpted stairs and one by one the sisters were helped down by footmen who had accompanied them both for protection and for the very purpose they were now fulfilling.

Always the one to be over-friendly, and possessing none of the shyness exhibited by her eldest sister, Kitty gave the footman assisting her to the ground a bright smile and thanked him in such a sincere tone that the man, who was probably nearing forty, seemed dumbstruck at the gesture. Not more so, however, than the grandiose woman who stood at the foot of the stairs and gave a disgusted " _Humph!"_ at overhearing the girl's words. Kitty had noticed the woman's reaction but chose to ignore it, knowing all too well the lady's sentiment would be shared by nearly all the people in attendance that evening. Her mouth couldn't help but hang open, though, when she passed the woman on her ascent and heard her mutter, " _Thanking_ a servant! What has the world come to?"

Reminding herself of Lady Matlock's words the young girl merely glanced at the woman with slight disdain, lifted her chin ever so slightly, and hurried on after her sisters. She would not give anyone the satisfaction of knowing to what extent their behaviour horrified her.

* * *

Walking through the grand entrance hall of the house, or mansion as Lydia put it, all five girls completely neglected to look where they were going, so awed were they by the sheer opulence surrounding them. Thankfully, just as all five nearly bumped into their hosts, Elizabeth glanced before her and brought her sisters to a sudden halt.

Curtseying low, and attempting to gauge Lord and Lady Devonshire's exact reaction upon greeting them, Elizabeth thanked both for their generous invitation at which Lady Devonshire merely nodded, saying, "Ah well, if your beloved daughter asks for a gossip-worthy event, which I am sure you ladies shall provide, it would seem rather unthinkable to deny her of it, especially on her birthday."

Thankfully for the Lord and Lady only Elizabeth and Lydia caught on to the implication behind her words and Lizzy had the sense to give her youngest sister a quick nudge with her elbow, hoping she would understand the message and hold her tongue. The girls weren't quite ready to make enemies in such high places. Yet.

* * *

Hurrying Lydia into the ballroom, Elizabeth heaved a sigh of relief when they made it safely inside without the girl having said a word. Once out of earshot, however, Lydia was nothing if not indignant, "That complete and utter _fussock_ of a woman! Oh, how I would like to share my thoughts on her _beloved_ daughter with her, wouldn't that just be swell?" Lydia hissed, pulling her face into such an ugly expression that Kitty fled after Mary in the hopes of not bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Lydia!" Elizabeth whispered, "This is most certainly neither the time nor the place! Do you not remember Lady Matlock's advice?" This seemed to calm the girl considerably, although she did feel rather hurt that Elizabeth had reprimanded _her_ when all she had wanted to do was defend herself and her sisters from yet another vile, entitled socialite.

Thankfully the ballroom was gigantic, even larger than that of Matlock House, and no one seemed to have overheard the girl's ranting. With their sister now somewhat calmer than before Jane and Elizabeth felt it would be safe enough to venture into the crowd and soon all three were separated, dragged into different directions by the flow of people as they ran into familiar faces along the way.

* * *

Elizabeth, trying her best to wander about unnoticed, made her way slowly through the room. In doing so, however, she couldn't help but catch snippets various conversations as she went.

"I heard Mr Darcy has returned to Pemberley with no intention of honouring his commitment to her in any way," she heard a feminine voice half-whisper in a scandalized tone. _I shall have the patience of Job once we leave this place!_ Lizzy thought, feeling anger well within her at the mere insinuation that Fitzwilliam would break his promise, even though she knew the woman's information to be nothing more than idle gossip.

"Have you ever laid eyes on a creature so magnificent?" she heard another voice coming from a small circle of gentlemen to her right. Pausing briefly to catch the rest of the conversation she heard the voice continue, "And so shy too, wouldn't it just be wonderful to run into her alone in one of the hallways?" Appalled that so-called _gentlemen_ could speak of a woman in such a manner she had only just decided to hurry on when another man joined the conversation saying, "I'd rid her of her timidity in less than a minute."

"It would be interesting to test whether country girls are truly the easiest to bed," another added.

Elizabeth's mouth fell open in utter shock, and the immediate fury she felt threatened to make her lose all control of her actions.

Stomping her way over to the circle of men, a thunderous expression on her face, she forced out a loud "Excuse me," and managed to feel the slightest bit of satisfaction as she took in their shocked and just slightly horrified expressions as they turned to face her.

"If any of you degenerate excuses for gentlemen speak of myself, my sisters, or any other woman for that matter, in such a way again I swear I shall make it my life's duty to expose each of you for the vile, perverted, debauchees you are. You claim to be above the rest of society but you are no better than the filth beneath your shoes. You should be ashamed of yourselves."

And with that, after noticing more than half the men's faces drain of any colour they still had left, Elizabeth spun on her heel and stalked to the opposite end of the room, her anger far from subsiding.

* * *

Thankfully the other Bennets were having a far more pleasant evening. Not only had Jane found Mr Reeding at the refreshment table but he had asked her for two dances once again, while both her first and supper sets had already been claimed by two other gentlemen. In light of the conversation she had just overheard, Elizabeth felt the intense need to watch each of her sisters with additional vigilance that evening. How she wished her aunt and uncle had been present, or perhaps Lady Matlock or, better yet, Mr Darcy. She had no desire to distress her sisters with the news of what she had overheard, but she did long for some sort of advice from someone, _anyone_ with more knowledge of the ton than she possessed.

At last, noticing that the gentlemen she confronted earlier had seemingly disappeared from the ballroom, Elizabeth gave a small sigh of relief. Perhaps they had left in fear of being publicly exposed, or mayhap they had vacated the ballroom to go drink in a study. Elizabeth had heard it was not uncommon for men to forgo the evening's obligations in favour of a bounty of alcohol and closed doors behind which they could say and do as they please.

With her mood at last shifting to a happier state, she was pleased to finally make the acquaintance of Mr Reeding whom Jane mentioned so often. Together with Kitty and Mary, who received similar introductions, the five guests made for a lively, high-spirited party that soon drew the attention of several men and women in their vicinity, and thus the group grew with many introductions being made, and new friendships formed.

Just as the first dance was called, a young man hurried over to Elizabeth and, with an obviously nervous look on his face, stammeringly inquired whether she would like to dance the set with him. Having had very little time to bother standing around, waiting for requests to dance, Lizzy found she could do naught but accept the offer, although she did find the man's incessant muttering and red-tinged cheeks to be more amusing than charming overall.

She had promised her third dance to Mr Reeding, and had her second claimed by one of the gentlemen with whom she conversed while with her sisters a little earlier, and thus she did not feel bereft of enjoyment even though the fellow she danced with first was awfully clumsy and still had not ceased with his 'uhming' and 'ahhing'.

"You seem rather anxious, sir. What bothers you so? I can assure you I do not bite," she said lightheartedly, doing her best to ease the man's nerves.

"It is not that, Miss Elizabeth, it is just my purpose in requesting a dance from you was not entirely irreproachable and your kindness has made me feel rather guilty for my actions," said he, looking as though he would rather bolt from the room than remain in Elizabeth's presence any longer.

"Whatever do you mean, sir?" Elizabeth inquired, fervently hoping his true purpose was not aligned with the ideals held by the men she had earlier threatened.

"It is only, uh," the man paused for a second before continuing, "my friends wagered that I could not get Mr Darcy's fiancé to dance a set with me, and I was just so desperate to prove them wrong I admit I acted dishonourably, and I hope you will accept my sincere apologies."

So relieved was Lizzy that his confession had been to nothing more than a rather boyish wager, that she gave an amused laugh, thoroughly puzzling her partner who seemed to be just about nineteen years of age.

"There is no reason to fret, sir, I assure you I am not at all insulted, only amused," she said, watching mirthfully as the man's face returned to its normal colouring and he thanked her profusely for her understanding and good humour.

"You know, I have heard nearly ever gentleman gathered here today curse Mr Darcy's luck at winning your heart, Miss Elizabeth," the gentleman, whom Elizabeth later found out was a Mr Wells, stated in a slightly embarrassed tone.

"I can assure you it had nothing at all to do with luck. Mr Darcy deserves far more credit for his intelligence, kindness, and steadfast love than Lady Luck could ever claim," Lizzy countered with a half-smile, suddenly plagued by yet another onslaught of sadness due to Fitzwilliam's absence.

* * *

The remainder of the dance was spent in cheerful conversation, although Mr Wells did apologize and thank Lizzy repeatedly for her kindness once again as they separated.

 _Perhaps there is hope for the men of the ton still,_ she mused as she walked off in search of her sisters.

* * *

While her eldest sisters were either dancing, drinking tea or, in Mary's case, sitting quietly in a corner and counting the hours until they would be allowed to leave, Catherine Bennet had become rather bored. Lydia had disappeared to Lord knows where, apparently having spotted someone she recognized, and left her sister to stroll listlessly about the room in search of some prospect of entertainment. She had danced the first set with a relatively handsome gentleman, although very little could be said of his dancing skills, and far less of his ability to hold any sort of conversation, and Kitty had begun to wonder if she would ever meet _anyone_ at all who even slightly piqued her interest. _Someone of eligible age, at least,_ she added thoughtfully.

Just as she felt obliged to give up her aimless wandering in favour of sitting with Mary and joining her strange mathematical vigil, her eye caught a familiar face near the edge of the room and, so ecstatic was she at finally finding the man once more, and so desperate for something of interest to happen, that she walked over and introduced herself without a second thought.

"Good evening," said she, giving a quick curtsey and hoping she wasn't being unacceptably forward introducing herself with not a mutual acquaintance in sight.

"My name is Catherine Bennet, and although I realize the manner in which I am introducing myself is rather abrupt, I have to ask whether you at all frequent the art store called Temple of Fancy?"

Here she paused, awaiting the man's reply, and biting her lip in both anxiety and anticipation. It was, no doubt, the exotic looking young man from the store but she hadn't the slightest idea whether he would want to form an acquaintance or even acknowledge that he recognized her. London had thrown much of Kitty's presumptions out the door and she wouldn't dare simply assume the gentleman would want to talk to her just because they'd once embarrassedly stared at each other for mere seconds and then rushed on their separate ways.

To Kitty's relief the young man broke into a small smile and said, with a slight nod, "I do, in fact, visit the shop very often, and if you were perhaps wondering, I recognized you immediately!"

Kitty's smile only widened as she happily added, "Well that is a relief! I rather feared you would be annoyed with my forwardness."

"Not in the slightest way, I assure you. My name is Francesco Martin, you may have seen some of my artwork adorning the walls of the entrance hall on your way in. Lord and Lady Devonshire have been very loyal patrons although I must admit the paintings they request aren't in the style I am truly passionate about, but what can one do? We all need to make a living somehow!"

"I did not, unfortunately, notice any of the paintings in the entrance hall but I will surely be far more observant on my way out," Kitty replied, "And may I add it is a pleasure to meet you Mr Martin, although I must say you have rather an unusual combination of names."

With a delighted smile, which Kitty would later admit greatly amplified his overall appeal, the young man said cheerily, "Believe it or not, you aren't the first person to comment on the fact! I was named Francesco after my mother's grandfather, who was Italian. My father, on the other hand, is as purely English as they come."

Taking an instant liking to the young man, Kitty remained in his vicinity up until the next dance was called, being regaled by stories of long ago visits to Italy after his father inherited a substantial sum of money from a distant relative, and how his mother had been the first to introduce him to the world of art.

"Many of my paintings draw upon the impressions I gathered while abroad. The people, the atmosphere, the very air you breathe there is filled with inspiration."

Noticing other couples making their way to the dance floor, Mr Martin offered Kitty his arm, and inquired whether she had a partner for the next dance. Stating she had none, he immediately requested both the current, and supper, sets which Kitty gladly accepted finding her new companion to be both incredibly handsome, and entirely charming. The fact that he too was an artist like herself only reaffirmed her opinion that the young man was altogether perfect.

* * *

In the meantime, Lydia, who had heard Duke Avondale would be in attendance that evening, went in search of him as soon as she possibly could. Her hunt having been interrupted by a young man who requested her first dance just as the music begun, she found herself once more at the edge of the room when the music ended and continued her search with an exasperated sigh. Wandering through the groups of people quietly chatting together she, at last, spotted him near the main entrance doors. Once again he stood rather close to an ancient looking lady dressed in far too showy a dress, and heavily laden with jewelry, seemingly whispering something for her ears only as he constantly glanced about him, warily looking out for eavesdroppers and curious onlookers. Lydia had only just reached his side of the room when she saw the old lady drop a small pouch in his hand, and then proceed to make her way to the refreshment table with a sly smile on her face.

At first, she had been eager to engage the Duke in conversation again, and perhaps get him to dance with her once or twice, hoping that by constant association he may begin to notice her beauty and not only her intuitive mind. Now, however, curiosity overpowered every other emotion and she watched fascinatedly as he turned the pouch over in his hand, and then suddenly slipped it into his pocket and stepped out of the room through the enormous, engraved doors. Determined to find out what the pouch contained that warranted such secrecy in its transferral, Lydia followed him through the doors, making sure to stay as quiet as possible and trail him from a few meters away. She followed him through the well-lit hallway and hurried after him as he suddenly made a sharp left turn into a rather dark room, the only light within coming from the moon shining outside its large windows.

Having removed her slippers along the way, Lydia now tiptoed up behind him, hoping against hope he would remove the pouch's contents so that she too may catch a glimpse. Cowering down behind a large bookcase she watched him do precisely that with a satisfied smile on her face.

Out came the pouch, which he quickly tipped upside down and gave a small shake, letting its contents fall lightly into his hand. An enormous, sparkling diamond pendant fell, then lay shimmering and shining upon his palm. So surprised was Lydia that she involuntarily let out a small "Oh" in admiration of the stone, then suddenly clamped her hand over her mouth as she realized what she had done.

Her reaction had been too late, however, as the Duke swung around, glaring in her direction, and demanded she come out and show herself in as loud a whisper as he could manage.

Her face now bright red with embarrassment at having been caught, and her heart feeling as though it may beat out of her chest any second, Lydia stepped out of the shadows with a sheepish expression and awaited the Duke's reaction.

"What the devil are you doing here?" he barked, obviously displeased at his discovery.

"I, um, I noticed an old lady give you a package," Lydia stuttered, her hands shaking at the thought of what consequences such a powerful man may inflict upon a snooping, insignificant girl such as herself.

Before she could continue, however, the Duke cut her off, "So you followed me out of curiosity, no doubt hoping to discover something scandalous," he began in an inquisitive tone, obviously awaiting her admission.

"Yes, Your Grace," the girl answered, gaining courage once more as the Duke's voice no longer sounded so incredibly furious.

"Very well, and what did you find out?" he asked abruptly.

Knowing all too well this was not merely a question on what she saw, but rather what she would tell everyone else she saw, she immediately came up with the most convenient response she could think of at that precise moment, "Simply that you had gone in search of a footman to show you to the privy, sir."

The Duke gave an amused look, "And why, exactly, were **you** outside of the ballroom, Miss Bennet?"

With as innocent an expression as she could manage Lydia replied in a simpering tone, "Why sir, my dancing slippers had become so dreadfully uncomfortable I had no choice but to make haste to the cloakroom in an attempt to remove them and soothe my aching feet," at which she waved her slippers before the incredulous young man, and gave a small curtsey.

"Quite a singular response, Miss Bennet," the Duke commented with an apparently tickled smile, obviously no longer feeling threatened by the young girl's mouth.

"Very well, since you seem capable of keeping a secret, and since I am quite sure I have no need to garner your good opinion," the man continued, even though Lydia seemed slightly insulted by his jab at her social worth, "I shall tell you why Mrs Thrupps gave me the gem. It was, quite simply, payment for a favour done."

"What sort of favour?" Lydia asked eagerly, her question being met only by raucous laughter as she finally slipped back into her shoes and the two began their return to the ballroom.

"You are an incredibly naïve girl, aren't you?" the Duke laughed in disbelief.

Now visibly offended the young girl attempted to stomp off, only to be drawn back to the man's side as he mirthfully apologized and promised to explain himself.

"The women of the ton all crave one thing, and one thing alone; attention. I have found it to be a very lucrative business to bestow some sort of _affectionate_ attention on those most vulnerable to such charms and I continue to do so because, for reasons you need not know, I am in need of the money."

Recognizing she and the Duke had somewhat shared interests, his to make money from women, and hers to do the same to men while also proving herself capable of inflicting as much pain as Wickham and Denny had on her, she suggested they join forces.

"And what exactly could you provide me with that I do not already have?" the Duke scoffed, visibly amused by the idea that he should pair up with a fifteen-year-old girl lacking even the most meager knowledge of London society.

"Well, as you may have noticed, I well and truly defeated you at cards," she stated matter-of-factly, although quite pleased she could dangle her victory over his head in such a manner, "You say you need money, so why not win it through the cards themselves. You are an adequate enough player, I'm sure with a little instruction you could perhaps reach _close_ to my level of competence. And perhaps having access to some feminine advice will improve your chances at wooing pretentious old women for a living, plus, I am never one to scurry from the opportunity to see some of the old hags around here reminded they aren't as powerful and desirable as they may believe."

The Duke remained silent for a moment, his mouth hanging slightly agape at the straight-talking manners the young girl possessed. Both surprised and intrigued by Lydia's proposition he had only one more question, "And what would you want in return?"

"You are well-versed in all the ton's nuances and rules. I want you to teach me. Teach me how to fit in, teach me how to interact with the snobby women and the aloof men, teach me exactly what I need to know to capture men in the exact same trap you catch women."

Although the Duke did seem distinctly uncomfortable at having his vices laid out in such a cold, emotionless manner, he did admire the girl's spirit and he certainly wished to learn how she had beaten him so easily. Deciding he could do worse for a partner he extended his hand as she did the same and they shook on their agreement, both anxious to see where their partnership may lead them, and also slightly worried that they may be in over their heads.

"Very well, Lydia," he said, "feel free to address me as Edward, when we are not in company of course."

Lydia gave a small nod, not at all annoyed by the fact that he hadn't asked her permission to call her by her Christian name. _I never understood those damn formalities anyway,_ she added to herself.

Stepping inside the ballroom just as the next set began and, finding themselves partnerless, they moved towards the dance floor together, wordlessly acknowledging that they would share the next dance.

Many young women glared Lydia's way as she smilingly twirled across the floor, obviously annoyed that she was dancing with the very handsome, very eligible Duke Avondale, but she no longer cared for their opinion at all. Henceforth they were no more than pieces in the elaborate game she had commenced, and as such, she had no further reason to be intimidated by any of them.

* * *

Elizabeth's dance with Mr Reeding had revealed very little of his character apart from being a generally cheerful, charming partner, and holding an obvious admiration for her eldest sister. She did however learn a little more of his family and his estate, which somewhat allayed her suspicions over his unusual silence when it came to answering questions about himself. However, Elizabeth had firmly made up her mind not to judge strangers by conflicted first opinions, and she spent the rest of her set with the man discussing very little of worth but enjoying herself nonetheless.

* * *

Supper was a rather quiet affair, the table being so incredibly large that very little conversation could be shared without shouting, and thus most of those in attendance chose to remain silent, the seating arrangement doing them no favours either.

* * *

It was just as the second half of the evening's dances were to commence that Elizabeth found herself sought out by none other than Lady Samantha, Lord and Lady Devonshire's daughter.

Before even being given the chance to wish her a pleasant birthday, Elizabeth was loudly interrupted by the woman herself, who seemed incapable of speaking in any tone besides high-pitched-and-overbearing. "Well, I hope you are pleased with yourself," the lady said, walking directly up to where Lizzy stood together with Jane and Kitty against one of the walls.

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth asked, thoroughly puzzled at the icy manner in which she was being addressed.

"Not only were you invited here simply as a subject of interest for my guests, but you then have the audacity to humiliate a group of my father's closest friends, and not even see the reason to apologize for your senseless behaviour," the woman hissed, her temper rising with every word.

Having some idea to which 'friends' Lady Samantha referred, she inquired, "Your father's friends weren't perhaps a group of gentlemen that abandoned the ballroom shortly before the dancing began?" in a tone matching that of the woman before her.

"Yes, yes they were, and I must insist you apologize to them immediately!" came the lady's reply.

"Apologize?" Lizzy said incredulously, "You wish me to apologize to a group of quasi-gentlemen who insulted not only my honour but that of every woman gathered here simply by viewing us as no more than objects of desire? I assure you I shan't apologize for any of it," Lizzy said angrily, determined to stand her ground, and refusing to mention her sister as the object of the men's vile comments. Her heart was far too fragile to have yet another such encounter thrust upon her.

"Lizzy let us just leave," came Jane's pained, quiet voice.

"No, Jane," Lizzy replied decisively, "We were invited as guests to this event and I refuse to leave in such a rush as though I was the one who wronged those men."

Noticing the tears in her sister's eyes she instantly added in a much gentler tone, "We can't be known as the girls who scurry around at the orders of every entitled man or woman in London, dearest," and then, with Lady Matlock's voice ringing through her thoughts Elizabeth took a deep breath, unclenched her fists, and stood up as straight as she could, turning once more to Lady Samantha who seemed to refuse to let the issue go.

"I have no desire to bring your ball to a very sudden, embarrassing halt, Lady Samantha, but I will have no qualms over doing so if you do not leave me and my sisters alone this very instant. In the end it shall be my word, as a gentlewoman and Mr Darcy's fiancé, against that of a group of drunken, witless men who cannot even string two intelligible words together much less spit out a complete sentence."

For the first time in her life Lady Samantha hadn't the slightest idea how to respond. Noticing several of her guests seemed to be intensely focused on the semi-private confrontation she had instigated she gave a small huff and spun on her heel, rushing over to her mother's side with a sour expression on her face.

Lizzy, who seemed pleased at the fact that at least this battle had been won for now, turned to Jane and Kitty who looked both awestruck and concerned for their sister at having to face both the men she had mentioned and the pompous young lady, on her own.

After repeatedly assuring both her sisters that they had nothing to be concerned about, she went in search of Lydia, hoping she would not have been Lady Samantha's next target, Mary being quite safely sandwiched between a large potted plant and a rather imposing statue, engrossed in yet another book she had snuck along and well hidden from any and all passers-by.

Spotting her sister standing with a smile on her face beside the Duke she had so famously defeated, seemingly deep in conversation, Elizabeth felt it would be alright to leave her sister be and do her best to continue the evening as though nothing remiss had occurred.

In the back of her mind she was deeply worried that Lady Samantha may return with her father or mother by her side and insist the girls leave, but fortunately none of the three had the bravery to test Elizabeth's patience, and all three knew all too well how significantly the girl could affect their social standing as Mr Darcy's bride-to-be and an already popular member of society's highest echelons.

* * *

Although the rest of the evening passed without any further interruptions, other than a young girl shyly telling Lizzy she had never seen anyone speak to Lady Samantha in such a way and that it was a relief to finally have someone around with the courage to do so, the events throughout rendered it a rather sour experience in the end, and all four girls, excluding Lydia who hadn't the slightest idea of what had occurred, felt relieved when they finally made their way out to their carriage along with several other guests. Kitty made sure to pause for a few moments in search of Mr Martin's paintings, and was pleasantly surprised to see three of his works as she slowly made her way to the door, each depicting a different landscape in incredible detail and reaffirming her assumption that the young man was a very talented artist.

* * *

Arriving at home very little was said about the incidents that occurred during the ball, although Elizabeth did ask to speak to both her aunt and uncle the next day, which puzzled them to say the least.

Climbing into bed beside her sister, the two girls lay awake for some time as Jane at last found the courage to recount her experience at Émile house to Lizzy who seemed both proud of her sister and indignant at the treatment she had faced.

"Jane, I do not want you to put yourself in uncomfortable situations merely for my sake. As much as I dread it the day will come when we no longer share a room, or even a house and then I will no longer have my beautiful, strong older sister to stand up for me," Elizabeth said as she burrowed deeper into to warm blankets with only her eyes peeking out, fixated on her sister's face.

"I know, Lizzy, but I can't help it. I just wish everyone could see you the way I see you, and Mr Darcy sees you," came Jane's unhappy reply.

"Don't you worry about anything like that, dearest, as long as I have you, Mr Darcy, Papa, Uncle and Aunt, Kitty, Mary, and, heaven forbid, Lydia to stand by me I have no need to feel hurt over the things people say. In comparison not a single soul on this earth's opinion matters in even the slightest way."

Somewhat reassured, Jane gave her sister a small smile before burrowing into the thick blankets herself, and both sisters fell asleep soon after, content in the knowledge that they would never lose each other's love and support, and that with that they could withstand any storm no matter how strong.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Yay! Another chapter, and a full day early too! xD

I felt like I couldn't wait until tomorrow to update, especially not after disappearing last week!

WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK?! I sorta loved writing this chapter! The Duke and Lydia have such awesome on-paper chemistry (even though they are only friends/colleagues). And I was super happy to have ass-kicking Lizzy back. I liked the way she handled both the men and Lady Samantha. I can understand if you guys would have liked a bigger showdown, but I'd argue Lizzy wouldn't want to make too big a scene, especially as the girls were at the ball all alone. So even though Lord and Lady Devonshire hoped the girls would do something worth gossiping or ridiculing them over, in the end the tables were turned and they, the Devonshires, became the butt of the joke/gossip. Karma is just wonderful, isn't it?

Anyhoo. You guys really killed it with the reviews for the last chapter and I loved reading every single one of them!

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** I loved that Lydia proved you don't have to be seasoned socialite to be great at some of the things society holds in high regard too! Thankfully the Duke is as much, if not more, a troublemaker as Lydia so I doubt he would do anything to damage her reputation. Especially not now that they have become partners. I hope the Duke will provide Lydia with a bit more tact in the way she voices her opinions and attempts to get what she wants, but you never know, she might just go off on her own and make trouble any way. Yes, I did think up the dresses myself, although I did some research on Regency materials and dress designs before I started this fic. Otherwise I would never have known the difference between a pelisse and a Spencer, and all that stuff! I actually design clothes as a hobby so I always enjoy dreaming up era-appropriate dresses for characters.

 **HarnGin –** I also thought Lydia would be very believable as an excellent card player. Not only does she obviously love social gatherings, but most gentlemen of the time would spend their evenings playing cards with friends if they were invited to a dinner, and knowing Lydia's previous obsession with officers I'm sure she would have played very often in Meryton so she could talk to and be around the young men she liked so much.

 **AmyCampbell –** Thank you! I really like Lydia's progression too!

 **SuddenlySingle –** Aw darn it! I write everything in MS Word and then copy-paste it onto FF. It really is incredibly annoying when all your writing gets lost! I agree with you that Mr Bennet would have been pleased to see Lydia using some of the skills she learned from him. I would imagine Lydia could live quite comfortably on whatever money she earned once she reached 21 too! And I SOOO agree with your comment on Kitty. Like so many girls her age she fell in love but NO ONE seemed to notice, and now her heart is broken and still no one except her aunt has realized it. At least for now she has Mr Martin around to cheer her up. Perhaps she will at last be able to let the Colonel remain in her past, although I don't know how she will handle seeing him at the wedding again. I honestly think Lady M thought it would just be a ploy to get to know the girls better and figure out what sort of competition her daughter would be up against. I doubt she imagined the Devonshires could be so conniving! Lizzy and Darcy chose to have a long engagement for a number of reasons, first and foremost because Darcy wanted the Colonel to stand up with him at the wedding, but also because Darcy wants Lizzy's reputation to remain completely untarnished and by waiting 3 months it would prevent anyone from assuming they got married because Lizzy was pregnant, as many would be tempted to think.

 **Norarob1956sis –** I will definitely keep you in mind! J

 **LavernJones –** I really like Lydia too! And creating more complex characters is exactly what I'm trying to do! I hate it when authors write their characters off as either 'good' or 'bad'. Not only is it unrealistic, but also incredibly boring to read! Even though that juxtaposition can be seen in most of the characters in the story, I think it is most prominent in Lydia and the Duke's personalities. They're not inherently 'bad' people, but due to their circumstances and the way their characters dictate they should react to those circumstances, they find themselves fostering some of their vices. Their distorted sense of morality is something not entirely uncommon even today, but very few people will ever admit to it. It's just made obvious in this story because I'm narrating their actions and thoughts that are usually hidden from the public.

AGAIN, thank you all for your consistent comments and encouragement! If I ever do decide to publish, I believe I will have to dedicate the book to each and every one of you that always took the time to leave a word or two. You guys rock!


	31. To Kent They Go

Elizabeth arose long before dawn the next morning, anxious thoughts drawing her from sleep at far too regular intervals for her to get any real rest.

During the night the significance of her actions at Devonshire Mansion had begun to weigh on her mind as she realized that even though they had left the ball with no further confrontations or problems, Lord and Lady Devonshire could still do considerable harm to the social standing of herself and her sisters. Determined to speak to _someone_ who could provide her with insight and perhaps some reassurance, she lit a candle, pulled on a thick, warm robe, and made her way downstairs to the desk her aunt had reserved for her use, as well as that of her sisters.

Smoothing out a blank sheet of paper, Lizzy began her letter to Darcy.

 _"Dearest Fitzwilliam,_

 _I'm afraid I write to you under less-than-ideal circumstances, however I do not wish to alarm you – both myself and my sisters are in perfect health - it is only I may have overstepped my boundaries as of late and in doing so invoked the anger of a rather powerful family upon me, my family, and unfortunately yours as well by association."_

Continuing thoughtfully, Lizzy recounted the particulars of the previous evening's events, refusing to leave out a single detail, and ended her letter with an apology for any harm she may have caused himself or Georgiana through her actions, and a request for advice on how to proceed. Wandering into the dining room with the envelope in which she'd placed the letter, she found a sleepy looking servant and asked that he send it off by express as soon as may be. She didn't _think_ there would be too much of a hullabaloo made over her actions, but she remained anxious to know Mr Darcy's thoughts if the news did get out in the end.

Finding the hour to still be far too early for breakfast she sat down again and wrote a further two letters, one to her father and one to Charlotte, whom she would soon be visiting in Hunsford and had been missing dearly throughout the past month.

At last, hearing a commotion upstairs as the Gardiner children awoke and began to make themselves heard she arose and made her way back to her room to get changed and prepare for the day ahead. Thankfully they were not expected to attend any social visits or events and thus spent the rest of the day doing little more than reading, embroidering, writing, and playing on the pianoforte. Lydia and Kitty's lessons also gave the three eldest girls a chance to set their plans for Lydia's birthday, which was fast approaching, and thus they were never truly bored regardless of the slow pace at which the day passed. Very little was said about the previous evening's events, and Lizzy felt grateful for the fact, only having to spend a few minutes informing her aunt and uncle of the reality of her encounter with the gentlemen at the ball, and requesting they do not leave any of her sisters unsupervised at such events during her absence. Even though Jane was the eldest, her heart was too soft, and her nature too unassuming to be tasked with looking after her sisters, and herself as well.

* * *

Friday brought the appointed time for their visit to Lady Gertrude's residence and all five girls felt greatly relieved at the knowledge that they would at least not be attacked in the kind old lady's house, especially not since both Lady Matlock and Georgiana had been invited to visit as well. Eager to spend an afternoon in pleasant company, the Bennets and their aunt smilingly made their way into the simple, yet tastefully furnished, drawing room that felt decidedly warm and cozy to all present. For some reason the room held an atmosphere of familiarity and each of the girls instantly felt at home, taking their seats with pleased looks on their faces and many compliments for the lady's home and the style of her furnishings.

* * *

After the preliminary pleasantries had been shared, the weather commented on, and the Lady's two cats, Tabitha and Callie, sufficiently stroked by all except Lydia, who seemed to like them as much as they liked her, which is to say very little, tea was served and the bulkier conversations began.

"Now I must say I have heard so much of you girls from Amelia that I feel as though I know you already," came Lady Gertrude's calm, clear voice.

"We have much to be indebted to Lady Matlock for, she has been incredibly kind to us all ever since we first met, and her advice has been a true godsend on more than one occasion," Elizabeth said sincerely, even more aware of the verity of her statement after the events of the previous few days.

"Now, I must insist you put an end to this 'Lady Matlock' nonsense, girls," the Countess said with a smile, "Feel free to call me Amelia, or Aunt, or even Mellie if you wish to follow Margaret's lead, but do forget about the title, I sometimes wish I could forget about it too!" The latter part was said with well-meant amusement, but all those present couldn't help but feel as though her words had been far more sincere than she had made them sound.

After granting the Countess the same freedom to use their Christian names as it pleased her, Lady Gertrude interrupted, insisting the girls call her Lady Trudy as well, which felt infinitely less formal than the wordy "Gertrude".

At that precise moment Kitty let out a delighted laugh and, noticing everyone around her staring at her in curiosity she pointed over to where Georgiana sat, barely containing her own laughter, as Callie maintained her seat on top of her head, seeming far too pleased with herself than the occasion warranted. With everyone giving voice to their mirth, Lady Trudy arose and, with a smiling shake of her head, gently removed the cat from Georgi's, careful not to pull out half of her hair from its pins in the process.

"Now Callie, haven't we talked about his before? Hair is not a nest, you silly thing," the lady muttered as she returned to her seat and planted Callie firmly on her lap.

"Hair oughtn't be a nest but I can't help think some ladies here desperately try to make it so, with all their multi-coloured feathers," came Kitty's tickled response to the lady's words, at which the old woman gave a merry laugh. She hated those dratted feathers as they always made her sneeze _most_ violently.

As each of the women received a turn to speak, not only of themselves but their thoughts and experiences too, the Bennets learned that Lady Trudy had two children, Judith, who was a few years younger than Lady Matlock, and Robin who was considerably younger and had raised his two sons alone after their mother's death soon after the youngest had been born.

After some time Lady Trudy turned to Lizzy and said, "You know, I can see exactly why Darcy chose you, my girl. Good sense and honesty are two very rare traits in the world we live in. You might not know this, but I have watched Darcy throughout his time in London and, when he briefly visited a few weeks ago, I could barely believe it was the same boy standing before me! He seemed so incredibly happy, and I believe I have you to thank for it," at which Lizzy only blushingly smiled, rather embarrassed at the high praise she was receiving in front of her sisters.

Turning to face the rest of the room the Lady smilingly continued, "At one of Amelia's balls quite a few years ago, when I still had the energy to dance more than just two or three sets, I got paired up with your brother," she said, a look of amusement adorning her face, "and I must admit a more lopsided, ill-balanced duo could not be found anywhere else in London, or perhaps even all of England! He is so dreadfully tall I could barely peek over his shoulder if I stood right on the tips of my toes and you can imagine the laugh Amelia and John got from watching me desperately try to keep up with his long strides. That was my last dance for the evening as I had gotten such exercise merely trying to keep in step with him that I was left winded for the remainder of the night!"

All the girls giggled at the image of the short, stout Lady Trudy trotting on after the tall, serious-looking Mr Darcy.

* * *

Talk finally turning to the wedding, Lizzy informed both Lady Trudy and Lady Matlock of the visit she would soon be taking to Kent, at which both women became eerily quiet and proceeded to wish her the best of luck in Lady Catherine's company. Neither of the women seemed to like her all that much and it did nothing for Lizzy's nerves to be subject to their quiet advice not to take the Lady's words very seriously and to, perhaps, avoid visiting Rosings as much as possible.

 _Is she really THAT bad?_ Lizzy mused, now seriously curious to meet the woman who seemed to put the fear of all things living into everyone she knew.

Lady Matlock, who had taken quite a bit of interest in her son's relationship with Jane, soon drew the conversation around to her children, hoping to gauge Jane's reaction towards the mention of the viscount's name, and perhaps even get a glimpse of some of the emotion she experienced when speaking of him. Having noticed her son's definite, marked interest in the young woman, and in no way seeing any reason to be against the match, Lady Matlock now brought up the subject with solely protective motives. If she found no reason to think Jane returned his regard she would warn her son before he fell too far, and was faced with yet another heartbreak, which she doubted he would recover from any time soon.

Seeing a small smile play on Jane's lips when Andrew's name was brought up, the Countess felt a small glimmer of hope. However, after attempting to engage the girl in talking about the viscount for more than five minutes without success, she halted her inquiry and optimistically assumed she was perhaps just too shy to speak of him in his mother's company. Naturally, the conversation moved on to her youngest son and, with motives not all too different from her goddaughter's, Lady Trudy fixed an interested eye on Kitty.

"Richard was rather badly hurt some time ago," the Countess informed the girls, her statement met with sincere concern and well-wishes from those gathered. Continuing, she added, "A pistol shot went right through his shoulder, but thankfully one of the young men accompanying him helped him away from the firing line and to an army doctor. I wrote to him insisting he return home, but he says his arm has nearly healed completely and he feels it is his duty to remain until the appointed time. He always has to go and be a hero, regardless of his poor mother's worries," she finished with a sad smile.

Throughout the account Kitty had sat on the very edge of her seat, her eyes fixated on the countess, and Lady Trudy most certainly noticed. Though she had an inkling feeling the girl's interest had more to do with the Colonel himself than the tale of war and bravery, she chose not to pry. It was neither her place nor her right to interfere in the young woman's emotions. She had taken a liking to the merry, bright eyed girl and hoped she would find happiness eventually, whether with the Colonel or not.

* * *

Thus the afternoon passed quite pleasantly, with each of the girls finding themselves the center of attention at various points throughout the conversation although none were as pleased with the fact than Lydia, who still insisted on keeping her distance from the Lady's two mischievous cats, much to Kitty and Georgiana's amusement.

* * *

Arriving home Lizzy was surprised to find a letter from Mr Darcy awaiting her in the drawing room. She had not expected his reply so quickly, but was pleased nonetheless, despite the fact that a small voice was telling her she ought to be nervous at his reaction as well.

Hurrying to her room she tore open the envelope and plopped down on her bed, desperate for reassurance that she had not made too big a mess of things, and hoping against hope Fitzwilliam would not be too disappointed at her actions.

" _My Darling Elizabeth,"_ she read, smiling at his address and hoping it meant he was not too poorly affected by her actions.

 _"Words cannot describe how horrified I am that you were exposed to such vile behaviour from men who claim to be part of the gentry. I feel even more guilt at the fact that I was not present to stand by your side when you bravely stood up for yourself and your sisters. My dearest Lizzy, I could never be anything but proud of your spirit and your unwillingness to be thrust about by the members of society. It is one of the many reasons I fell in love with you._

 _As for Lord and Lady Devonshire, do not trouble yourself over what they may or may not do. Very few people will have the courage to go up against the Darcy family, and neither of them are one of those people, so forget about them entirely, I beg of you, even though I realize as I write this that you probably won't forget them nor the way they treated you, and perhaps that is a good thing in its own right._

 _I am still held up here at Pemberley as my steward, Mr Johnson, has fallen ill and I do not have enough surety that his assistant is yet ready to take over his work. Therefore I am holed up in my office from dawn to dusk, driving Mrs Reynolds mad with my frustration at being kept indoors and away from you for such ages, and praying I will soon be able to depart from Pemberley and return to your side once again._

 _I swear I shall refuse to be parted from you at any future point. You shall have to be prepared for many journeys, as I do not have the heart to be without your presence ever again._

 _Yours,_

 _Fitzwilliam"_

Finishing his letter, Lizzy felt a weight fall from her shoulders. He had not, as she feared, been disappointed with her actions, nor had he seemed at all distressed by the possibility of the Devonshires gossiping about the argument. All would be well, or at least so she hoped.

Elizabeth had never been a very patient person, and the time she had spent in London thus far had seemed to drag on endlessly. It frustrated her to no end that the wedding was still two months away and that every hour without Fitzwilliam by her side felt like a day. She refused to complain openly about it, however, aware that there was little Darcy could do to help, and that many other women had far greater problems than simply having to wait a few months for a wedding.

* * *

Saturday brought the arrival of the Lucases. Maria and her father had been invited to dine with the Gardiners that evening and brought news from home with them together with letters for each of the girls from Mr Bennet, a fact that greatly surprised them, but which Lizzy hoped formed part of her father's resolution to take a more active role in his daughters' lives.

Throughout the courses of wholesome, delicious food the Bennets and Gardiners were regaled by snippets of gossip, a constant train of, "And Mrs Smith said" or "If only you could see the new dress Miss Loughden wore" interspersed with "Those rascals thought they could steal old Mr McKinnon's seed," and so on and so forth. It was decided they would leave for Kent before 8 on Monday morning, so as to arrive at as early an hour as possible. Sir William found carriage journeys to be overbearingly tiring and therefore wished to get as much rest before their first full day at Hunsford began.

As soon as their guests had left, each of the girls found comfortable seats and proceeded to examine the letters their father had sent.

Lydia, who found it rather difficult to read her father's writing as so much of the letter had been blotted out and restarted, did however appreciate the fact that it contained not a single admonition or command, only inquiries after her health, her lessons, and the friends he knew she "had, no doubt, already made. "

Jane received an apology for her mother's behaviour, Kitty an account of the great oak tree just outside Longbourn's borders that had been struck by lightning (which she immediately determined to paint, just as her father had expected), and Mary a simple summary of a book her father had been reading and thought she might find interesting.

Elizabeth, always her father's most trusted correspondent, received a slightly longer letter. In it Mr Bennet explained how he had come to realize that he had not been taking enough interest in all five his daughters' lives and that he hoped it was not yet too late to fix his mistake. He included that although Mrs Bennet was as loud and demanding as always, he was doing his best to make her realize her behaviour was what alienated her daughters and not, as she put it, "Heaven only knows what."

Pleased with the effort her father was obviously making, she spent much of Sunday afternoon writing a lengthy, detailed reply describing everything she and her sisters had been occupied by lately, and reminding him she hoped to be home soon enough, perhaps even as soon as her visit to Hunsford came to an end.

* * *

Monday morning came all too quickly and Lizzy arose for an early breakfast, hugging a sleepy-eyed Jane goodbye and checking in on Lydia and Kitty who remained dead to the world around them.

Mary, and Mr and Mrs Gardiner joined her at the dining table, wishing her well on the journey and eliciting a promise to write as often as she could. At a few minutes past eight a knock was heard on the door and a footman helped load Lizzy's trunk aboard, and stood waiting as she drew her uncle, aunt, and sister into a tight hug and then scurried through the open carriage door, waving as they moved away from the house and down the street.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Alright! Another chapter done!

What do you guys think about Lady Gertrude (again, she is the creation of the truly awesome HarnGin)? And Tabitha and Callie? (also HarnGin's creations!)

 **amycampbell -** Lydia is a bit of a wild card at the moment, and I think it suits her! Kitty is still a bit unsure of herself, although she is trying her best to move on from the Colonel, and not feel as though she is too insignificant/not pretty enough for the ton. Jane is still Jane - unassuming, kind, and always thinking the best of everyone. Where that may lead her goodness knows!

 **Kiwipride -** EXACTLY! so many fics have her go ballistic in such an unrealistic way it makes me cringe!

 **HarnGin -** I know the feeling all too well. Hm, I wonder what it was that annoyed you. I guess for people who are decisive, and have strong personalities Jane could seem a bit annoying. She's always trying to avoid any sort of confrontation and especially for me it was difficult to write her in as placid a way as I did. I love a good argument so Jane is really a bit of an unusual character for me to write.

 **Colleen S -** Hey, hey! And welcome to the story!

 **LavernJones -** It's funny to see how ideals have changed over the centuries. I can't imagine what someone like Lady Catherine or Mr Collins might think if they were to be transported to our current day and age! They'd be screaming 'COMPROMISED!' at every woman they passed! xD And to be honest, Lydia is hardly whorish at today's standards. A gold digger perhaps, but in Regency England her actions, and the actions she would soon be carrying out, would certainly ruin both her and her family. Thankfully the Duke isn't a predator and I believe he will look out for her.

 **Ayla -** I really like Mary the way she is. Lots of fics that focus on her have her change from shy, studious, and set upon tradition, to an almost Lizzy-like character and I don't have any desire to do that. She's wonderful just the way she is and i think changing her too much sends the message that you have to act a certain way, or fit a specific mould to find love and happiness, and i don't agree with that at all.

AMYHOO! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! The next one is going to be SOOOOOOOO juicy! AAAAAARGHHHHH I'm so excited I can barely wait to share it with you! xD


	32. Lydia Steals the Show

To say Sir William hated carriage rides would be an understatement. For the entire journey, more than four hours excluding their stops mind you, he groaned at every bump and sighed so heavily and so frequently that Elizabeth found it incredibly odd when he missed a beat on his rhythmic cycle of heavy breathing.

The poor woman was ecstatic when at last they drew up to Hunsford Parsonage, to find Charlotte waiting eagerly in the door of the house.

As soon as Lizzy saw her old friend she burst into tears of happiness and nearly fell from the window as she waved violently at the woman now hurrying towards them.

As soon as her feet touched the ground Lizzy rushed forward and drew Charlotte into a tight embrace, her tears finally ceasing to fall as the two women laughed hysterically in their joy. Sir Willliam greeted his daughter in a calmer manner, but Maria, who had been dreadfully lonely without the Bennets and her sister, ran smack-dab into her sister's arms and refused to let go even as the small party made their way inside the house.

"Oh, you look so well Charlotte, I am pleased Mr Collins has not been treating you poorly," Lizzy blurted out as they stepped into the small, modest drawing room.

"I assure you, I have been nothing if not content, my dear Lizzy," Charlotte said brightly, turning to her father and adding, "Although I do apologize for my husband's absence, Lady Catherine insisted he attend to her at Rosings only half an hour ago, so I believe he shall be away for some time still."

Strangely none gathered could find any reason to despair at the annoying little man's absence and so, much of the afternoon was spent in happy conversations as news was shared and plans agreed upon.

Sir William, it seemed, would be obliged to depart for Meryton the next Monday, leaving Maria and Lizzy at Hunsford for another two weeks, after which the two girls would travel to London together, and then on to Hertfordshire once they were joined by Mr Darcy, who had promised he would not be kept at Pemberley any later than the 25th of that month. Unfortunately, Lizzy found very little time to talk to her friend in private, as Maria was constantly at her sister's side and so very little of great worth was shared between the two women, although they did make plans to go out walking early the next morning.

* * *

Back in London Lydia awoke to a day free of lessons and obligations, having insisted it be so as it was, after all, her sixteenth birthday. Georgiana, Jane, and Lizzy had arranged for a ball of sorts to be held at Darcy house that evening. In truth, it would be more of a dinner than a ball, as the only other people attending besides the Bennets, Gardiners, and Georgi, would be the Matlocks. The children would also be allowed to join the adults for part of the entertainment and their joy at the announcement had been nothing if not overwhelmingly expressed.

With Lizzy already departed for Kent, the girl had not expected any particular gesture from her sister, having been wished well by her at dinner the night before. Her surprise was therefore quite apparent when she arose to find a small package lying on the dresser with a piece of card on which her name was written, in Elizabeth's hand of course. Hurriedly tearing open the paper bag, her delight was quite loudly expressed at finding the most beautiful set of hairbrushes, daintily painted with small flowers, and embellished with tiny crystals along their edges.

In a rare occurrence of sincere gratitude, the young girl hurried to the drawing room and scribbled a quick note to her sister, copying off the Hunsford Parsonage address from a sheet of paper Lizzy had left in one of the desk's drawers, and hurriedly sealing it in an envelope. The missive contained very little legible writing but it did manage to convey her appreciation for the gift which was great enough a surprise on its own.

* * *

Dinner at Darcy house that evening was as jolly as could be expected given the company. Georgiana, who had written to her brother the previous week to obtain permission for the event, did very well as hostess even though she felt incredibly grateful it was such an informal affair. Having noticed her eldest cousin's interest in Jane, Georgi had called upon a rare streak of mischievous matchmaking she was sure she had learned from her aunt, and had seated the two together. Knowing Margaret would insist on being set at the adult's table she had reserved one entire end of the table for her and the three Gardiner youngsters. Although Margaret did seem slightly intimidated by Louis, she immediately took to Emma and Dorothy finding that, although they were not as prone to mischief as she was, they did however share her love for dolls and the girls spent much of their time discussing tea parties and balls while poor Louis did all he could not to fall asleep atop his plate of potatoes.

Lady Matlock watched happily as Margaret engaged with the girls seated on either side of her. Growing up in such a big house without a mother was difficult in its own right, and not having any company near her age had obviously taken a toll on the girl who seemed ecstatic to finally have friends who liked the same activities she did.

Lydia, as the guest of honour, was seated in between Georgiana and Lady Matlock, where for the very first time in her life she spent an entire dinner without once saying something ill-informed or empty-headed. The proximity of two very well-educated, poised women seemed to enhance her ability to hold meaningful conversations and her aunt and uncle seemed pleasantly surprised at the progress she was making.

* * *

Forgoing the separation of the sexes, the entire party gathered in the drawing room once the last course had been cleared and two maids had arrived to keep the children occupied with games and toys in a different room.

Mary, who had said very little all evening, immediately made her way to the pianoforte and insisted Lydia join her for a duet. Never one to shy from the spotlight the young girl was all too pleased to entertain the other guests and all were in agreement that her soulful voice was not at all unpleasant to listen to.

Lady Matlock eventually found herself seated with Kitty and Mrs Gardiner, at last provided with the chance to get to know the two women better, there having been very little opportunity to do so in the past. Although she found Kitty to be a little whimsical at times, she couldn't help but like the young girl who seemed to never have lost her sense of magic, or her lively imagination. In Mrs Gardiner, on the other hand, she found an immediate friend and ally, both women being sensible and possessing a similar sense of humour. The Earl and Mr Gardiner were, as expected, deeply engrossed in a discussion of politics, which was quite satisfactory for both as they never did enjoy themselves quite so well as when they were debating their opinions.

Left to their own devices, Jane and the Viscount found themselves seated near the large, blazing fire as the rest of the company remained engrossed in their conversations and occupations.

"I imagine your silence is due to the absence of your sister, is it not, Miss Bennet?" came the Viscount's quiet inquiry.

"In truth, sir, she and I have not been parted for more than a few days in our entire lives, apart from my earlier arrival in London of course, and this separation has turned my mind onto the imminent, far more lengthy separation we will experience once she is married," Jane replied with a downcast look on her face, "Of course I am exceedingly joyful that Elizabeth is marrying such a fine gentleman, however, I cannot help but feel uncertain as to what the future holds without her by my side, to be strong for me when I cannot be so myself."

"Your love for her is exceedingly admirable, and I have seen enough of Miss Elizabeth to know she holds you just as dear. Perhaps you should simply talk to her when she returns. Doubtless, she feels equally as much trepidation at being separated from her family, and knowing she is not the only one anxious over the future could do much to relieve you both."

"You are an unusually perceptive man, Lord Fitzwilliam," Jane commented, a small smile returning to her face.

"I have good reason to be, as I have far more experience being separated from those I love than I would wish upon anyone else," the Viscount's tone of voice made Jane long to say something, anything, to bring him some comfort, but what she did not know.

"Do," she finally whispered uncertainly, "Do you wish to speak of her?"

"All too often I find myself trying to do so, Miss Bennet, but I never seem to get past one or two sentences before my throat feels as though it has constricted entirely," came the young man's pained reply.

Then, as though thinking better of it, he took a deep breath and continued talking, "She loved life more than anyone I had ever met before. Her father had sent her to live here with relatives when she was barely fourteen years old. She had insisted on being taught music by only the best English masters and her family ensured it was so," pausing here he glanced at Jane's face and seemed to garner the strength to proceed once more.

"We met at a ball held in honour of her nineteenth birthday, I had noticed her dancing with her cousin and she had seemed so brimming with happiness and spirit I had no choice but to ask her to dance. After that first encounter, time seemed to fly by and before we knew it her parents had traveled here for the wedding, we moved into one of my father's estates and spent the next two years blissfully happy. We were even more so when she found out she was with child –"

Here the viscount's voice broke slightly, and Jane instinctively reached over to take his hand in her own. Almost immediately, however, she realized what she was doing and let go, doing her best to act as though nothing remiss had happened.

"I do not dare say I understand your pain, sir," Jane whispered as tears stung her own eyes, "but from what you have told me about her I can say with all confidence that she will never truly be gone. You can see her in Margaret, in her love for life and her ever-cheerful nature, in the fact that she loves dancing and music just as much as your wife once did. I cannot comprehend why the Lord allows these things to happen, but I know that in your daughter your wife's legacy will live on."

Silence was the only answer Jane received, the Viscount seemed to quietly mull over her words, his expression no longer pained, only forlorn.

At last, his voice broke the silence as he quietly said, "Thank you, Miss Bennet. You do not know how much your words mean to me."

"I am certain you knew it all along, sir," came Jane's humble reply, a small smile once more adorning her face as she lightly dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief.

Their conversation had only just turned to pleasanter topics when Georgiana took her seat at the pianoforte and began to play a rather lively, simple tune.

Lydia, who was well known for her spontaneity and powers of persuasion, soon pulled Kitty towards the large empty part of the drawing room Georgiana had ordered to be cleared for just such an occasion and the two girls, linking arms, began a lively jig across the floor. Suddenly she hurried over to Jane and Mary, grabbing them by the hand and dragging them into the raucous dance as well as the girls spun and jumped, Jane's face turning slightly red both with exertion and embarrassment.

Imagine their surprise when, as Georgi ended the first song and began the next, Lady Matlock walked over to her husband, tapped him on the shoulder, and extended her hand with an amused smile. Although the Earl seemed rather uncomfortable with his predicament as he twirled his wife around to the music, his own laughter prevented him from complaining and soon the party was joined by Mr and Mrs Gardiner who never passed up on an opportunity to join in the fun.

Standing on the sidelines the Viscount seemed to be debating whether or not he ought to join when suddenly, seeming to overcome his temporary embarrassment, he too stepped into the crowd, grabbing Jane's hand and following his father's lead while the hysterical laughter continued.

At last, as Georgi banged out the final notes, the dancers fell rather ungraciously into their seats, their faces ruddy with the exercise and their hearts light.

It had been many years since any of the Matlocks had truly enjoyed themselves so thoroughly and the trio made the fact known after thanking Georgi for her excellent playing.

Soon enough, however, after tea had been served once more, the time came for all the guests to return home, and they did so with bright smiles and many promises to have such an evening again soon.

* * *

Lydia fell into her bed that night with a face-splitting smile. Not only had she had the most wonderful day as well as a letter from her father once more, but her plans to rise in the ranks of the ton were well on their way to being implemented and at that very moment, the girl could not remember a time when she had been happier.

* * *

At Hunsford, Mr Collins had finally arrived home after spending nearly three hours at Rosings, apparently receiving instruction on the proper way to cook venison and manage a rose garden, amongst other things.

After greeting his cousin in a rather cool manner, he made a great show of giving his father in law a tour of the house and discussing the latest news with the man in his study. Sir William, needless to say, was not all too pleased as he had hoped to be given leave to take an afternoon nap and his plans had now been well and truly spoiled. His annoyance carried him grumpily through to tea when he was at last left to his own devices and soon fell into a deep sleep on one of the drawing room's most comfortable chairs.

* * *

At dinner the nauseatingly complimentary parson, who seemed to have overcome his earlier icy manners towards Elizabeth, informed the table of an invitation to dine at Rosings the following day, extended by "the most condescending, gracious Lady Catherine herself," and, as the party later dispersed for the night, the man couldn't help but pull Lizzy aside and inform her that she would have to do something about her appearance as the dress she was wearing at the moment would "most certainly not do, not when we will be attending to Lady Catherine at such a grand venue as Rosings."

Lizzy, who had worn the most comfortable dress in her possession for the trip from London, simply said, "Yes, Mr Collins," and gave a small curtsey before walking to her small room with a disbelieving shake of her head.

 _That man hasn't changed one bit since he left Hertfordshire,_ she thought amusedly.

The journey having thoroughly tired her out, Elizabeth fell asleep soon after crawling into her rather hard bed.

Tomorrow she would meet Lady Catherine for the very first time and something told her she would need all the rest she could get before the long-anticipated event.

* * *

 **A/N:** AHHHHHH I couldn't help myself! I just HAD to post this chapter as it was just soooo satisfying to write! xD

I seriously hope you guys enjoyed it!

I just love having usually serious people let go and have some fun! And who better to force them to do so than Lydia!

 **Tigrchic8 –** Hope this chapter was worth the wait!

 **Suddenlysingle –** I don't think the Devonshires and the Matlocks really run in the exact same circles, but I do hope this chapter's Jane-Viscount interaction made up for the lack of it previously! Next we'll definitely need to see what Mr Reeding is about, so keep a lookout for the chapter where we learn more about him as well! I mean Jane obviously likes him so we'll have to see!

 **Lavernjones –** You have a very valid point that promiscuity is seen differently when exhibited by a man than a woman, even in today's society. And I've seen so many fanfics that have Elizabeth be subject to an accident like her dress tearing, or her tripping and falling into either Darcy or some other douche's arms and then everyone cries "COMPROMISE" and the blame is laid solidly on the woman's shoulders. Even though these are merely works of fiction they have to have some basis for being as common as they are and there are really saddening similarities between the way women were handled then and now when they are victims, or even simply victims of circumstance. And also, even though the characters are very much fictitious, I can imagine people like Mary and Lizzy and the rest of her family quite possibly existed at the time, and it is just a really fun exercise to see them not merely as characters, but as people.

 **Daisymoon –** hmmm I can see why you would think so, and it certainly is an interesting idea, but I shan't be saying another word! xD

 **AmyCampbell –** I'd agree that age differences were a bit of a clusterf*** in the Regency period, and it wasn't all that unusual for there to be a really big age gap between the man and the woman in a marriage, but I agree that Kitty shows an unusual maturity despite her obsession with the world of fantasy and jokes so that is promising! Let me think, she is 18 now and the colonel in this story is 28, turning 29, so it's not THAT huge. And I don't think its Lydia that has as much of a problem with the cats as it is the cats having a problem with Lydia xD

 **KurukiXV –** Lizzy's epic Lady Catherine encounter is coming next! Hold on to your hat! xD

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! Another section done! Things are finally gaining momentum again!


	33. Thunderbolts and Lightning

Both Elizabeth and Charlotte abandoned the house for a brisk walk at a near-ungodly hour the next morning. Lizzy was in no mood to encounter Mr Collins again, and Charlotte seemed all too glad to finally have a familiar face and a listening ear around.

As they wandered through the fields the two women eagerly shared their news, with Charlotte asking myriads of questions about Mr Darcy and their engagement, and Lizzy carefully ascertaining whether her friend was indeed, as she had said, entirely content.

"I cannot say my marriage has been overflowing with either love or affection," Charlotte stated matter-of-factly, "but I have my own home to oversee, I have many friends throughout the parish, and I am finally no longer a burden to my family, so there is very little to be unhappy over."

Something about Charlotte's words made Lizzy feel distinctly uncomfortable. For a split second she wondered if her marriage to Fitzwilliam would ever turn out to be as placid, but almost as soon as the thoughts entered her head they were chased out again by the memory of Darcy's lips on her own, and the way he'd whisper in her ear and make her knees buckle beneath her.

 _No, we could never become as distant,_ she reassured herself, a smile once more plastered across her face.

"Something is certainly weighing on your mind, Lizzy," Charlotte's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Turning to her friend with a quick grin, Lizzy said, "Only how much I have missed your company! I became quite lonely after your departure!"

"Lies! Utter lies!" Charlotte exclaimed loudly, doing her best not to dissolve into laughter, "You couldn't have been so terribly lonely with your Mr Darcy around, now could you?"

Charlotte's brows rose a fraction of an inch higher as she observed her friend's rapidly reddening face.

"Elizabeth Bennet! You sly girl, you've kissed him haven't you?"

Elizabeth didn't think her face could feel any hotter, but she nonetheless gave a small nod, at which her friend wagged her brows ridiculously and turned Lizzy's embarrassment into instant mirth.

"Oh, Charlotte, you can't very well expect me not to," Elizabeth sighed, "He has been a gentleman in every way, I assure you, it is merely that when we are together there seems to be this irresistible force drawing us closer to each other and, I fear I'm sounding quite idiotic but, there's just something inside me that responds instantly to his every movement and emotion."

Seeing it was now Charlotte's face that begun turning pink, Lizzy suddenly fell quiet. She had been yearning to talk to someone about her feelings, but Jane would most certainly not approve of her and Mr Darcy's actions and she wouldn't dream of telling her younger sisters. Her aunt might have listened but Lizzy couldn't imagine saying the things she just had in her presence.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so effusive," Lizzy whispered, still aware of her friend's discomfort.

"No, no, you have done nothing wrong, Lizzy! It is only Mr Collins and I have, well, made our marriage official, but it was not even close to anything you described. He is often so distant and critical, hearing you speak of something as simple as a kiss being felt with such emotion has only served to remind me of the realities of our union."

"Oh, Charlotte," Lizzy breathed, pulling her friend into a warm hug, "Charlotte, dearest, you must know you are not alone. I wish I could do something to improve your situation but for the moment I am entirely at a loss."

Steeling herself against the lurking sadness, Charlotte straightened up, swept a strand of hair from her face, and put on as bright a smile as she could manage, "No need to worry, dear, I chose my path, and I have nothing to complain about. Many other women are in far more dire circumstances than I."

Unwilling to push her friend any further, in fear of causing her even more unhappiness, Elizabeth refrained from returning to the subject and the girls spent the remainder of their walk talking of everything but their romantic relationships. Lizzy couldn't help but wonder at the strange stroke of fate that had brought her and Fitzwilliam together, even as she tried desperately to think of a way to help her dear friend. Something would have to change eventually, and Elizabeth fervently hoped it would be for the better.

* * *

The remainder of the morning was spent writing letters to her various correspondents – her father, Fitzwilliam, her sisters, and her aunt and uncle.

* * *

At precisely four o'clock that afternoon Mr and Mrs Collins, Sir William, Mariah, and Elizabeth gathered in the parsonage's cramped entrance hall. Elizabeth had recalled her cousin's words from the earlier evening as she rummaged through her dresses in search of what to wear and in quite poignant disrespect of his wishes she had chosen her old, trusted muslin gown. Not only was it still very much one of her favourites, but she felt no need to pretend to be someone other than herself merely for the sake of Lady Catherine. The only adjustment to her outfit was the delicate diamond pins in her hair, and the eye-catching engagement ring on her finger. She would soon be a Darcy, yes, and of a Darcy a certain standard of attire and wealth is to be expected, but she refused to dress a certain way simply because her vile little cousin had demanded it.

Mr Collins did not seem all too pleased with her choice, muttering something along the lines of "engaged to her nephew and still wearing such a plain dress", but Lizzy gave his mumbling no heed and simply linked each of her arms through one of Charlotte and Maria's and soon left the gentlemen far behind as they walked the short distance to Rosings. Very little could be said of Sir William and Mr Collins' fitness and it was no surprise that they came panting up the hillside almost a full ten minutes after the women had arrived.

* * *

Elizabeth's first glimpse inside Rosings impressed on her the importance of appearances to whoever had overseen its construction and décor. Every corner and every open space seemed to be dedicated to opulence and luxury. Thick rugs in nauseatingly bright colours were strewn across the floors, small gold and silver statues stood on every conceivable vacant surface, and the very rooms themselves seemed to give off a feeling of sickening excess.

"YOU ARE LATE!" a feminine voice boomed through the entrance hall, and Mr Collins quite nearly herded his party into the drawing room, bowing repetitively as he did so.

"I apologize most sincerely, your ladyship, I have no excuse and can only promise such lack of forethought will not disrupt your evening again," he simpered, tittering over to the woman's side with, what Kitty would insist, honey dripping from his mouth.

"Yes, yes, I certainly never tire of hearing your groveling Mr Collins," the voice came again, and Elizabeth, who curtseyed politely, caught her first glimpse of the great Lady Catherine.

And she was most certainly 'great'. Dressed in the most extravagant ensemble Lizzy had ever laid her eyes on, her hair was coiffed to create such volume it added more than four inches to her rather diminutive height. Every imaginable piece of jewelry possible was also flaunted by the rather wrinkled woman, and the shiny gems reflected and shimmered across the room, nearly blinding Elizabeth as the woman took in the particulars of her appearance.

"So _you_ are the Elizabeth Bennet every nitwit in London has been blabbering about," the woman said stepping closer to Lizzy in order to get a better view.

"Well, I can't say I can see why Darcy has fallen for you but I suppose I might have a better idea by the end of the evening, shan't I?"

Lizzy didn't like the woman's tone at all, but she merely gave a small curtsey once more and quietly said "I too am pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Catherine," at which the woman scoffed loudly, calling out with a laugh, "Oh and she has a sense of humour too! How _utterly_ delightful." Sarcasm oozed from every word.

Mr Collins immediately shooed his guests along, insisting he and Charlotte walk directly behind the grand lady, with Sir Lucas and Maria following, which left Elizabeth quite on her own at the very back of the procession.

Well aware of the fact that her abandonment was Mr Collins' way of showing his disdain, Lizzy forced herself to remain cheerful, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing her anger.

The group slowly made its way to the dining room, of which little could be said besides the fact that it was an ornate and excessive as the rest of the house, where a large table was set along with name cards for each of the guests.

Elizabeth, to her surprise, found herself seated next to a frail looking woman with a pale complexion and alarmingly pallid looking face. Although she was not exactly plain in appearance, Lizzy could not say she was all that noticeable either. Her only redeeming quality was her smile which seemed to brighten her face ever so slightly and make her look not so dreadfully forlorn.

"Well, Miss Elizabeth," came Lady Catherine's attention-demanding voice, "I suppose I should introduce you to my daughter, Anne de Bourgh."

The girl refrained from arising from her seat, but Lizzy thought little of it, obviously noticing it would be a tiring feat in light of the woman's constitution, so she merely curtseyed politely and took her seat beside Miss de Bourgh, trying her best to find something she might compliment the woman for.

"You're far prettier than I imagined," Anne's quiet voice caught Lizzy's attention, although it was barely more than audible.

Blushing lightly, and at a loss at what to say, Lizzy only smiled embarrassedly and thanked her in as awkward a manner as she thought could have been possible.

"Do not feel embarrassed for my sake, I know I am not much to look at, it is only that my mother has spoken of you so often I had formed quite a different image of you in my head," Miss de Bourgh's voice seemed to grow stronger as she spoke and Lizzy, although still embarrassed at the nature of their conversation, at last was able to make a reply.

"Fitzwilliam has told me much about you as well. How when you were children, he would join you and Colonel Fitzwilliam capering about Rosings when your mother was too occupied to notice," she said with a small smile.

"Unfortunately my mother has become even more attentive as of late, and even though she wants what is best for me her constant reprimanding has become quite stifling," Miss de Bourgh said, once more startling Elizabeth with her forwardness.

"What is that!?" came Lady Catherine's voice, suddenly snapping the two girls from their tete-a-tete.

"We were only speaking of Fitzwilliam, mama," came Anne's voice, now much stronger than it had been a few minutes earlier.

"Ah, yes," Lady Catherine breathed, turning to Elizabeth, "You might not be aware of this, Miss Bennet, but it was the favourite wish of myself and Fitzwilliam's mother that he and Anne be married. What a pity the boy has acted so brashly."

Elizabeth could hear the contempt in the woman's voice but, remembering Lady Matlock and Lady Trudy's words she did her best not to pay much attention to her words.

"Yes, Mr Darcy did tell me of the alleged betrothal although he made it very clear his mother had never informed him of such an arrangement."

"Well he most certainly would not admit it to you, now would he?" the lady asked in a deceivingly innocent tone.

Thankfully, at that very moment, the first course was served and silence fell over the room, Mr Collins having repeatedly reminded everyone Lady Catherine despised conversation while a course was still being enjoyed. She found it did very little for her digestion and would tolerate none of it at her table.

The short reprieve gave Elizabeth time to calm down slightly and gave Lady Catherine more time to observe her target.

 _Stubborn, perhaps, but I am sure it is nothing the promise of a fortune and freedom from an unaffectionate marriage won't solve. Look at her, dressed precisely as a country girl ought and still harbouring the belief that she could ever be a Darcy,_ the idea made the Lady scoff ever so lightly as she sipped on another spoonful of soup.

* * *

As a result of Lady Catherine's strict rules of conversation, the dinner table remained nearly completely silent for most of the dinner with courses being served in such timely succession that very little chance was provided to even start speaking.

As the final set of empty plates was removed, a sigh of relief seemed to go up from all those seated at the table, thankful that the awkward silence would, at last, be broken. Arising purposefully from her seat, Lady Catherine called to Lizzy, "Come now, Miss Bennet, I insist you grace us all with a performance at the pianoforte," and then turning to the rest of the group she continued, "With only two gentlemen in attendance there is hardly need for a separation."

Lizzy had at first wished to protest against her playing on the pianoforte, quite sure her performance would be substandard compared to what Lady Catherine was used to, but she was given no opportunity to do so and soon found herself seated before the instrument, and searching for a piece she knew well enough to play with some dignity.

Finding nothing but incredibly complex melodies, she settled once again for the only piece she knew by heart, Voi Che Sapete.

As she began, her mind was drawn back to when Fitzwilliam had listened to her play at Longbourn. The memory seemed so long ago, yet still quite fresh, and the image of him standing next to her with an amazed look on his face as she finished the melody now provided her playing and her singing with a depth of emotion that failed not to move each and every person in the room, even though some would never admit it.

As the last note rang out Charlotte, Maria, Sir Lucas, and Miss de Bourgh clapped enthusiastically, ignoring the sour look on Lady Catherine's face and the way Mr Collins was desperately trying to imitate it.

"Hm," the lady sounded, "Passable for music, I suppose, but I must say I expected far greater proficiency from Mr Darcy's fiancé. I always say Anne would have been the most accomplished player if only her health had allowed her to take lessons. Tell me, who was your instructor, Miss Bennet?"

"I had none, Lady Catherine," came Elizabeth's honest reply.

"Your governess did not teach you?" the woman's voice came once again, sounding quite incredulous.

"I never had a governess," Elizabeth's blunt reply came once again.

"No governess? Five girls and not one of them properly educated?" the woman's disbelief seemed to be overpowering her ability to comprehend Elizabeth's words.

"My youngest sisters Lydia and Catherine have benefited from a governess, as well as currently being taught by masters in London, however myself and my other sisters taught ourselves all we know today."

Silence reigned throughout the room.

Finally Lady Catherine spoke once more, "I suppose Darcy has arranged for the masters, hasn't he?"

Lizzy was well aware of the direction the conversation had just taken, and she did her best to prevent what she knew was coming, "Yes, but my father has pai-" her voice was cut off by the lady's overbearing one once more.

"Just as I thought! Fitzwilliam always allows himself to be taken advantage of, no matter how often I have warned him against it!"

"I must disagree with you Lady Catherine," the anger in Lizzy's voice was becoming alarmingly more obvious, "My father has been the sole benefactor of every aspect of my sisters' education, Mr Darcy has only been kind enough to provide us with suggestions for masters to employ."

"Well, if not the masters, I am sure he has been paying for everything else."

The room suddenly fell intensely quiet. Mr Collins had nearly disappeared into his seat so appalled was he with the way the conversation was going, and the way his cousin was speaking to his most beloved patroness.

Elizabeth refused to say another word, fearing her anger may consume her entirely and make the remainder of her stay with the Collinses overbearingly uncomfortable. She also had no desire to make Charlotte's life any more difficult by angering the most important person in Mr Collins' universe even further.

Thankfully Miss de Bourgh interrupted here by asking Sir William to describe Hertfordshire as she had only heard a little about the place from Mrs Collins. The rather intimidated man's droning voice soon served to calm the room slightly and things had only just begun to return to bearable when Lady Catherine arose and, in a voice that served to command rather than request, said "Miss Bennet, do take a turn with me about the room."

Elizabeth, who was well aware the Lady disliked her, braced herself for another onslaught of anger as she arose and did her best to move to the woman's side with what she thought was a smile.

The two women had only just left the vicinity of the rest of the party when Lady Catherine turned to Elizabeth and said, "You come from a country town, do you not, Miss Bennet?"

"Indeed, I do," came Lizzy's suspicious reply.

"And from what I've heard your father is not an extravagantly wealthy man?"

"He is not, but neither I, nor my sisters have ever been denied any of our sensible needs."

Lizzy did not like the direction the conversation was taking, and she steeled herself for what she suspected was to come.

"So you have no dowry, very little by way of earthly possessions, and absolutely no connections whatsoever?"

"That is correct."

"Oh, what a dreadful predicament," Lady Catherine's voice seemed _almost_ sincere, but not entirely so, "It is no wonder then that your engagement to Mr Darcy must bring your family much joy. He is so well-connected and quite wealthy too."

"They are of course pleased with our engagement, but only because they can see the love we have for each other, Lady Catherine."

"Now, now, don't tell me they won't be glad to see you set up in such a grand estate as Pemberley, with servants to heed your every call, and more dresses and jewelry than you could ever imagine!"

"I do not appreciate your insinuation, Lady Catherine," Elizabeth replied, anger once more bubbling to the surface, "Mr Darcy and I are entirely devoted to each other. Our union will be a love match, and nothing else."

"Oh you are quite convincing I must say, no wonder Darcy has fallen for your wiles so thoroughly."

"Lady Catherine, what exactly do you wish to say to me? You quite obviously do not approve of my engagement to your nephew, so why did you request my company?"

"I am simply offering you a way out," the woman said innocently, "You are a clever girl, and I am sure you will not find happiness in a marriage based on no more than economic need. That is why I am offering you a gift, my girl. Name your price and it shall be yours, only break off this silly engagement to my nephew and be on your way home. I can assure you I am more than capable of providing you with more money than you could ever imagine using in your lifetime."

Elizabeth had had enough. She had tried to be understanding, tried to be courteous, and now she was simply furious.

"Lady Catherine, I will NOT be bribed. Your nephew loves me, and I love him. No amount of money will be able to change that, and I would marry him even if he earned no more than a few pounds a year."

Lady Catherine, noticing the girl's rising anger, immediately sought to change her tactics.

"Well, if you do love him as much as you claim can you not see how irreparably you are damaging his reputation? He comes from a long line of well-respected, influential men and women and you can never, ever be one of them. Your marriage to Fitzwilliam will do nothing but destroy his social standing, isolate him from his friends, and make him the laughingstock of London. If you love him as much as you claim, you will name your price and leave. He does not need you to create even more problems in his life he has enough as it stands already. He needs someone like Anne, someone well-bred and well-versed in the ways of the ton. He does not need an unruly, impertinent woman who will only bring shame to everything his family has ever stood for."

It was the last straw. Suddenly all of the scoffing, the spite, and the whispers Lizzy had encountered in London were combined with the hatred she was made subject to by Lady Catherine, and Elizabeth could bear it no more.

"ENOUGH!" she nearly yelled, grabbing the attention of the party sitting near the pianoforte as well as several servants waiting in the hallway.

"I have heard enough of the constant whispers and insults, enough of the accusations. I promised myself I would never, ever marry for any reason besides the strongest love and deepest affection known to mankind and I found that in Fitzwilliam. Nothing you say, nothing you do, nothing you insinuate will ever change the fact that my life and my heart is entirely devoted to him, so save your words, save your breath, and save your energy for someone who might be influenced by it. I most **certainly** shan't."

And with that Elizabeth turned on her heel and saw herself out without another word to any in her party nor the gaping Lady Catherine who had suddenly become very pale.

* * *

Elizabeth was far too angry to cry, she was too angry to speak, and so she merely stormed into the parsonage, slammed the door to her room shut, locked it, and proceeded to peel off her dress and pull the pins from her hair.

She had no desire to speak to anyone, not even Charlotte, and she knew only time would be able to calm her fury. So she simply pulled on her warm nightgown, blew out the candle she had lit when she first returned, and crawled into bed, where she lay fuming late into the night and long after she had heard the rest of the party return, and Charlotte warn them to leave her be.

* * *

 **A/N:**

At last, the showdown you all had been waiting for! Lizzy's going to have an interesting time considering she told Lady C exactly what she thought of her so early on. I wonder how the Londoners are faring?

 **Deanna27 –** I was mentally cheering Lizzy on too!

 **Tfranco9 –** Aw thanks for your super nice review! I really like exploring the various facets of each of the girls' personalities, which is mainly why I'm enjoying writing this story so much!

 **Mangosmum –** Hahahaha "pompous windbag" can I please use that in one of the next chapters? xD It's brilliant!

 **Suddenlysingle –** I think people who have gone through hurt and loss often seek out gentle souls. Someone who can just let them feel their pain while also providing comfort. No one wants to be told "I know what you're going through" or "You'll get over it eventually"

 **The Guest who used 'Enjoying story' as their username –** thank you for reminding me! I've corrected the issue in the previous chapters! I do my best to stick to general accuracy but I do sometimes make mistakes, unfortunately.

 **Tigrchic8 –** I think the main issue with Mr Reeding is we haven't really seen much of him. He's just floating about most of the time!

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** I really like the Lizzy/Charlotte duo. They're both a little impertinent, although Charlotte has a much, much better handle on her mouth than Lizzy. xD And I have some interesting things in store for Charlotte too! I won't leave her to rot with that annoying little twat of a Mr Collins.

 **LadyLiz –** Oh I absolutely hate headaches! Well as you can see Lady Catherine is a bit of a tyrant. Everyone is scared of her except Lizzy, and perhaps Anne although she still does whatever her mother tells her to do, whenever she is told to do it.

 **HarnGin –** What! How crazy is that? I can't believe the real Callie did that too! I'm really looking forward to getting Lady T's children involved, and of course I'm sure we all want to see more of Callie and Tabitha!

 **CharlotteandLizzy –** Oh congratulations! I hope you really enjoy the birthday!

 **ANYHOO,** there you have it! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and are ready for some London-y goodness coming up next! Mr Ferrars ought to be arriving in London soon so that will definitely spice things up as much as, well as much as Mary and the Doctor can realistically spice anything up. xD

Which brings me to a really, really weird thought. What sort of food would each sister be? I'm thinking Mary would be potatoes. I mean they're plain, and hearty, and people all over the world love em. Lydia would DEFINITELY be hot sauce… xD I don't know about the rest, but I'm going to stop writing now because this train of thought is just seriously weirding me out.


	34. Many Happy Returns

**A/N EDIT:**

 **Hi guys, I know I've been quiet for much longer than usual but my grandfather passed away a few days ago and I've lately just not felt much like writing. I promise I'll be back again soon, I haven't abandoned the story and have no intention of doing so anytime soon! Have a great weekend.**

* * *

With morning, Elizabeth felt far calmer, although she still had no desire to speak to anyone at Hunsford or Rosings. Slipping from her room and out the back door without being noticed by any of the parsonage's inhabitants she struck a brisk pace to nowhere in particular.

Being very unfamiliar with the area, she simply walked in whichever direction she pleased, desperately trying to make sense of her feelings and thoughts. She would not tell Fitzwilliam about her outburst again. Not only was there little to nothing he could do, but he had enough cares of his own and was in no need of more problems to worry about.

Just over half an hour into her outing she was making her way along a slightly muddy road when she heard a commotion behind her.

"Miss Bennet! What a surprise to see you here!" Anne de Bourgh's voice sounded, barely louder than the rattling of the wheels of her pony cart.

"Good morning Miss de Bourgh!" Lizzy said, doing her best to seem chipper even though the last person she had wanted to run into that morning was anyone with the surname 'de Bourgh'.

"You made quite an exit last night," the woman said, drawing up beside Lizzy and bringing her pony to a halt.

Elizabeth had expected the girl to act as though nothing at all had happened, which was very much the way of the ton – no one ever mentioned any scandals involving themselves or their families.

"Don't feel too anxious, my mother can be rather overbearing at the best of times, and entirely insufferable at the worst," the pale girl said, her nose bright red with the cold and her lips slightly blue.

"I did not mean to make such a scene, but I have not been enjoying the constant censure and gossip of the ton, and unfortunately your mother only worsened my frustrations to breaking point," Lizzy said, feeling honesty was warranted in return for Miss de Bourgh's straightforward inquiry.

"Mama is still in quite a state. Indeed, she was in a state all of last night as well," Miss de Bourgh stated, seeming not at all concerned over her mother's wellbeing.

"She works herself into such fits far too often for them to be taken all that seriously. I only fear that any future visits to Rosings will be very, very uncomfortable for yourself," Anne said this with a strange smile on her face and Lizzy felt utterly puzzled by the fact.

"She sounds quite a bit like my own mother," she managed to say as her mind mulled over the woman's strange expression.

"Yes, well she has been screaming at servants since quite some time before dawn and I could bear no more of it so I removed myself from the house as quickly as I could," Elizabeth remained puzzled at the woman's slightly amused expression and her nonchalant divulgement of information most people would try to keep quiet.

"I must say you seem quite amused by the situation Miss de Bourgh," Lizzy, at last, said, having learned it was easier to simply ask than speculate the reason for something while interacting with high society, "May I ask why?"

"Well, Miss Bennet, in the full twenty-four years of my life I have never before seen anyone speak to my mother the way you did at dinner," the woman's slightly lopsided smile widened, "No one has ever dared and I can assure you this morning you are **quite** popular amongst the servants at Rosings, and perhaps even amongst some of its inhabitants."

Feeling immensely relieved, Lizzy broke into a real smile for the first time that day, "I cannot tell you how much it has eased my mind to hear that. I was quite sure I would be hated by all after my outburst."

"Oh never! You have done what many servants and staff have longed to do for a very long time! I love my mother dearly, but she can be incredibly difficult."

"I understand the feeling entirely!" Lizzy said, and was rewarded by a knowing look from Miss de Bourgh.

"I'm afraid I must be getting myself and Lucius home," Anne said, nodding in the direction of the impatient looking pony before her, "My mother will have my head if I don't return within an hour of leaving, and I am quite sure her anger will be far more accurately expressed today than any other time."

And with a quick goodbye and not a backward glance, the cart rattled forward and disappeared around a corner some way ahead.

Lizzy now felt well enough to return to Hunsford and did so, even though she took very small steps and lingered at every opportunity.

* * *

Lady Catherine had been pacing about her study for much of the morning. First, her incompetent housekeeper had awoken her far before the usual time, inquiring about menus and settings and a myriad of things the lady would usually be delighted to order and command, waxing eloquent about the benefits of one colour compared to another, and wine compared to whiskey. Not today, however. Today Lady Catherine had arisen, bringing all the thunder of hell along with her.

 _That upstart!_ Was the very first thought that entered her mind.

 **Something** would have to be done. She would not call that insolent, stubborn excuse for a woman family.

 _If she refuses to break the engagement, then I suppose the only other person who will listen to reason is Fitzwilliam. He has always held rank and station in such high regard I am sure I shall be able to revive him from this stupor she's drawn him into. Yes, of course! Once he realizes how unsuitable she is to form part of society, he will break off his engagement quite instantly! He only needs a few firm words to make him realize his mistake._

Feeling great determination, Lady Catherine sat down before her desk and began a letter to her second favourite nephew. After Andrew of course, _he_ had married a member of the Spanish peerage that had increased his family's wealth by nearly half its value.

" _Dearest Nephew,"_ she began, a look of satisfaction adorning her face.

" _How do you fare? I must say I miss you and Richard terribly, and sincerely hope to see you here at Rosings this April."_

Lady Catherine was well aware this was the month chosen for the wedding but she was quite certain the event would not occur and therefore felt confident in extending the invitation.

 _"Fitzwilliam I must now speak to you in the very same way I am certain your mother and father would have addressed you were they still with us. When I heard of your impending marriage I was overjoyed. I had such high hopes for Miss Elizabeth Bennet and felt both privileged and delighted at making her acquaintance well before the wedding. However, I fear I must tell you that she is not at all who she pretends to be._

 _My dear nephew, Miss Elizabeth is at best a fortune hunter, and at worst openly seeking to do you, the Darcy name, and dear Georgiana harm. A more ill-mannered, insubordinate, stubborn girl I have not met in all my life and I am appalled by the way she asserts herself amongst those of us far superior to her station and her intellect._

 _My boy, you cannot allow yourself to be held captive by her wiles, no matter how alluring she may seem. Heed my advice, the selfsame advice I believe your dear departed parents would have provided you with. Miss Elizabeth bodes only ill for the Darcy family and I wish to spare you any and all pain and disappointment._

 _It truly breaks my heart to write this, but you must be made aware of the truth. Nothing good will come from your marriage to a woman with no standing, no dowry, whose only motive in marrying you is to raise her station and further her own selfish agendas._

 _Yours,_

 _-"_

Lady Catherine felt exceedingly pleased with her warning. _Fitzwilliam will most certainly not disregard such a sincere attempt to protect his wellbeing,_ she told herself, quite convinced she was doing exactly the right thing for both her nephew and niece.

Calling for a servant, in what the poor boy who found himself in earshot could only conclude was a deceivingly cheerful tone, she instructed him to dispatch the express letter immediately, and then the old lady leaned back in her chair with a content upturning of her lips and no longer a worry on her mind.

* * *

In London, a brown haired, brown eyed girl was patiently awaiting a visitor. Mr Ferrars had assured her he would visit as soon as he arrived and Mary felt no reason to doubt his promise so she sat quietly in wait, writing what all around her assumed to be another one of her beloved essays.

* * *

When the doorbell rang at precisely half-past three that afternoon Mary arose in as relaxed a manner as could be imagined, although Jane noticed the small smile she had been exhibiting all morning now grew into a full-blown grin.

Mr and Mrs Gardiner had been informed of Mary and the Doctor's courtship by Mr Bennet, but nothing had yet been said of their engagement.

Hearing the man's cheerful voice resonating through the hall Mary couldn't help but take a few steps closer to the door, her excitement now plain to see.

"Good afternoon, Miss Mary, Miss Bennet, and you are Mrs Gardiner I presume," the man said entering the room with a low bow and a happy expression.

The three women returned his greeting and then, in a show of great forethought, Jane and Mrs Gardiner stepped over to the window on the far end of the room to allow the young couple a moment to themselves.

"My dear Mary, how overjoyed I am to see you!" Mr Ferrars said in a low voice, stepping over to the object of his statement and placing the lightest of kisses on her hand.

"And I you, Mr F- I mean, Simon," Mary returned, the embarrassment of her near-mistake obvious from her slightly reddening cheeks.

"Do not fret I must admit first names are such unusual things. Society is so accustomed to Mr this, and Miss that, that it seems to go against our very natures to forget formalities."

This seemed to put Mary instantly at ease, and her smile returned once again, "I have dearly missed your company, and unfortunately very few of the people I have met thus far seem to have any interest in medicine. Although I must tell you of the most intriguing brother and sister I met several weeks ago."

Jane, who caught snippets of the conversation as she absent-mindedly stared out of the window, was surprised at her sister's eager chattering. She had not heard Mary speak as much in one sitting in all the 19 years of her sister's life.

Taking their seats near the fireplace Mr Ferrars and Mary continued to speak quietly, their joy at being reunited evident on their faces, as Mrs Gardiner and Jane quietly sat opposite them and resumed their needlework.

Throughout the next hour, the doctor and Mary were entirely engrossed in a little world of their own. At one point Mary had gone over to the table and brought the papers she had been writing earlier over for the man's inspection. He seemed to be greatly impressed at the contents of the script although Jane, for the life of her, couldn't make out even the general topic of their subject of talk.

Eventually, however, the man had to make his excuses, taking Mary's writing with him, and once more placing a kiss on his fiancee's hand.

Mrs Gardiner, having quietly observed the two, and having briefly spoken with the doctor during his visit, seemed amazed at the way Mary reacted to his presence. She became nearly instantly livelier and far happier, and the woman was greatly pleased at the man's effect on her niece. He seemed to be the perfect gentleman, and thus far Mrs Gardiner could find no reason to object to their courtship.

* * *

Friday morning brought excitement to the Gardiner household once again. The Matlocks had invited them all to the opera that evening and none in the house was more excited than Kitty. Even though she did not have much by way of a singing voice, she had always wanted to attend. The dresses, the elaborate costumes, and the mystery of it all fascinated her.

The girls had also all grown to like Lady Matlock very much, and they found that whenever they were in her company they would have an enjoyable time. Somehow very few dared to criticize them with the Countess in earshot.

Kitty also hoped to see Mr Martin again. She had been inspired by his tales of Italy, and hoped to share some of her own ideas with him. The joy she felt at having at last found a kindred spirit in a city that seemed to constantly scoff at her very existence was immense.

* * *

Lydia looked forward to the outing for a slightly different reason. She knew the Duke of Avondale would be attending, he had informed her of his loyal attendance to operas at some point during their discourse, and she was eager to begin learning the ways of the ton so that she may soon begin to implement her plans.

* * *

Thus it was that the two girls found it very difficult to concentrate on their lessons that morning, much to Miss Balette's disapproval, and Mr Winthrope's amusement. Kitty, who was far more open with her emotions than her younger sister, who seemed to show only what she thought people needed to see, had been cheerfully chattering away all morning and Mr Winthrope, who saw no reason to silence her, happily sat listening as she spoke on and on of artists, and inspiration, and how she would one day visit the continent herself to see all that it had to offer.

* * *

In Pemberley, an entirely different commotion could be found. Mr Darcy had awoken to an express from his aunt lying innocently upon his desk and, with a mixture of curiosity and dread, he had read its contents.

Elizabeth had not written to tell him anything of what had happened at Rosings, and Fitzwilliam's anger at his aunt's behaviour turned his usual calm expression into one that seemed to strike deep worry into the heart of all his servants. All except Mrs Reynolds of course, who soon came to the young man's office to inquire what was amiss.

"Lady Catherine has written to me with several baseless allegations regarding Elizabeth, and I fear I cannot leave her alone at Hunsford for much longer. However Mr Johnson is not nearly well enough to begin his work once more and I'm afraid Mr Brown might not be capable of managing everything in regards to the estate."

"Oh dear," Mrs Reynolds said, with sincere concern evident upon her face, "Lady Catherine is a force to be reckoned with for any individual, I can only imagine the frustration Miss Elizabeth feels."

"Yes, I suspect something has already happened between the two and my aunt will make life unbearable for Lizzy if she remains there alone."

Mr Darcy was now pacing up and down his office, a thoughtful look upon his face.

Suddenly he stopped and, with quick strides, stepped over to his desk as he addressed Mrs Reynolds once more.

"I know what I shall do," said he, grabbing a sheet of paper and determinedly beginning to write, "You are familiar with much of the estate finances, are you not, Mrs Reynolds?"

"Yes, sir," came the woman's curious reply.

"And so is Mr Davis, I assume," Mr Darcy continued, referring to his trusted butler. "He has assisted in settling payments several times in the past so this ought not to be too much of a challenge."

Mrs Reynolds nodded in agreement.

"Very well, I would like to see Mr Brown and Mr Davis in my office as soon as may be," Mr Darcy said briefly, dismissing the housekeeper as she hurried to locate the two men with a puzzled look on her face although she did have an inkling of what the master needed to see them for.

* * *

With Mrs Reynolds' departure, Mr Darcy continued his missive to Mr Johnson, who was still too unwell to leave his cottage.

In his letter he simply informed the steward of his plans, and asked to be informed as soon as the man felt well enough to resume his post.

* * *

Mrs Reynolds soon returned with the requested two men in tow.

"Ah, Mr Davis, Mr Brown, do come in and take a seat," Mr Darcy said with a nod to the chairs opposite his desk.

The housekeeper had just begun to make her exit when Mr Darcy's voice called, "You too, Mrs Reynolds," at which the woman promptly took her seat with a surprised expression.

"I have requested your presence as I shall be leaving to Kent tomorrow morning, and as you all know Mr Johnson is still quite ill," three heads nodded in agreement.

"Now, that means you shall be left in charge of estate affairs, Mr Brown," the rather young man, about thirty five years of age, looked visibly nervous at the responsibility he would be taking on.

"Mrs Reynolds and Mr Davis have been part of the Pemberley staff for over thirty years, and I trust their abilities entirely. Therefore if you are unsure of anything at all, you shall come to them for advice. If you are troubled by anything, come to them. They know the ins and outs of Pemberley even better than I do, and shall prove vital to you if you are to manage my affairs for the next fortnight or so."

Both Mrs Reynolds and Mr Davis seemed simultaneously pleased and determined at the high praise bestowed upon them by Mr Darcy's words.

"If neither you, nor Mr Davis or Mrs Reynolds can find a solution, you will send me an express immediately," all three heads nodded once again.

"Of course, you shall all have your salaries supplemented for the additional work, and I hope it shan't be required of you for too long a period, as Mrs Johnson has assured me her husband seems to be on the verge of recovery."

Looking at each of the staff members seated before him in turn, Mr Darcy concluded, "I have full faith that you shall manage perfectly well if you work together. I would like to say I shall return to Pemberley soon, but I am afraid I cannot do so with any certainty."

All three reassured the young man they would not disappoint him, and then were dismissed as Mr Darcy threw himself into his work once more, hoping to complete as much of it as he could before his departure. Throughout his writing, however, he couldn't prevent a smile from slowly spreading across his face as he counted the days it would take for him to reach Hunsford, and his Lizzy once more.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Oooooh Darcy's on his way to Kent! The plot thickens!

Also, I'm sorry you guys didn't get to see Mr Collins' reaction in this chapter, I promise it'll be in the next, I have just been having such a hassle trying to tell basically 3 stories at once! xD

I might need to backtrack a bit here and there, so I've decided to start adding dates so we don't all get totally confused!

 **Mangosmum –** Yay! Look out for your catchphrase in the next chapter! ;)

 **ArnettinCA –** it's bound to make some waves!

 **Deanna27 –** You predicted it precisely! I think Lizzy can handle a lot but at some point she's going to snap, and Lady C was the preferred snapper. xD I mean in the original book she BLEW UP when Darcy proposed the first time, so I'd imagine she's capable of blowing a gasket.

 **Nancieellen –** dragon lady is very fitting!

 **HarnGin –** hahahaha you'll have to read the next chapter! I promise it will be most hilariously satisfying! And thanks for the correction of fiancée, I'm afraid things like that are slipping my mind more often lately! xD

 **KurukiXV –** Yes! Sometimes people push and push and push until you at last reach breaking point!

 **TiaMaria710 –** OH. MY. GOSH. William Moseley is perfect! I agree that Richard Madden is just a bit too handsome. Who do you think could play the Viscount? I usually have pictures for some of the things I describe, like Lizzy's wedding dress for instance, but I can't seem to upload it to FF. My only option is to put it in my profile, which is what I'm going to do right now.

This brings me to another question,

IN THE MOVIES/SERIES, DO YOU GUYS PREFER DAVID MACFAYDEN, OR COLIN FIRTH?

 **Call me a nitwit if you like but I'm a firm David MacFayden/Keira Knightley fan.**

 **Suddenlysingle –** Lizzy has admirably NOT written to Darcy this time, as she doesn't want to bother him. But thankfully Lady C has done it for her, and stepped in a big pile og cow manure while doing so!

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** I think Lizzy has the courage to have done something like that. I think she was blunt on purpose, since playing coy or skirting the real problem would just have been the same as playing Lady C's game. Lizzy needed to put her foot down, and whatever Lady C is planning, I'm pretty sure Darcy and Lizzy will have the upper hand anyway.

Hahaha Jane is just Jane, but I promise she'll be making up her mind soon enough! We can't have this drag on forever can we? The poor Viscount!

 **ANovick –** Mr Darcy is indeed on his way to Rosings! xD

 **AmyCampbell –** I think it was high time for her to lose her temper as well! The reason why I kept their discourse very straightforward is because both women were obviously very, very angry, and when people are angry they rarely wax eloquent. Lizzy's chance for smart jabs at Lady C's character will be coming soon though.

So there you guys have it!

How sweet was the Mary/Mr Ferrars interaction. I realized we'd never really been privy to their talks so I thought I'd give you all a bit of a look-see!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you soon!


	35. A Night at the Opera

_Thursday, February 6_ _th_ _, 1812_

Elizabeth had just returned from her walk - her spirits lifted ever so slightly and her content, if not cheerful, expression returning. Her composure would have remained so if it was not for a certain man of diminutive height and enormous temper.

She had barely pulled off her pelisse when his tirade began.

"Your behaviour was _quite_ unacceptable! Lady Catherine was shocked, appalled even, that her nephew's fiancée would act in such a disrespectful manner and I must agree! You must know your place, cousin!" His voice grew higher with every word.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, she felt no desire to entertain her cousin's ill-founded remarks and admonishments today of all days, but his dogged determination to defend Lady Catherine's station, despite her treatment of him, seemed rather comical.

"And so should you, Mr Collins," Lizzy retorted, her voice free of anger, but laced with something entirely different.

 _It can't be amusement, can it?_ Mr Collins thought incredulously.

"As you may have forgotten, I suppose it is only right to remind you that I will soon be family to Lady Catherine and should have every right to address her as family members do."

Mr Collins immediately interrupted, "Certainly not! What poor behaviour! I would not expect you to speak in such a manner even to your closest family!" His voice was now growing louder as well as higher and Lizzy had to call upon every ounce of strength she had left so as not to begin giggling.

With a small smirk, she finally managed to say, "Well we are family, are we not, Mr Collins? I find it rather hypocritical of you to speak to me in such a manner when you insist I must do otherwise."

And with that Lizzy stepped past the shocked and rather puzzled man and went in search of Charlotte and Maria, determined that the day would not be lost to constant bickering and arguments.

* * *

 _Friday, February 7_ _th_ _1812_

The Matlocks and Georgiana had been waiting for the Bennets and Gardiners for not quite five minutes when their carriage came running down the street. Falling in line behind that of the Matlocks' they made the short trip to the Opera House. They were very far from being late but their general excitement made it seem as though every minute brought them closer to missing the performance entirely.

As was common, the event would be far more a social affair than simply a show to be watched, and both Lydia and Kitty greatly looked forward to talking to their neighbours and perhaps playing a game or two of cards, although the latter seemed far more appealing to Lydia than Kitty. Mary had opted to remain at home that evening, claiming she had no interest in seeing opera girls flouncing about on stage in inappropriate dresses. She had insisted she would much rather enjoy her evening reading or playing the pianoforte, and it was only after the third reassurance that Jane acquiesced and felt convinced her sister truly did not wish to go and wasn't merely attempting not to be a burden to her livelier, more social family members.

* * *

It was noted by nearly every soul on the street that evening that Viscount Fitzwilliam had, after hurriedly helping his cousin down from the carriage, immediately stepped over to that of the Gardiners and offered his assistance to the Bennet girls. As always Kitty and Lydia were the first to alight, followed by Mr Gardiner who lent his arm to his wife and it was with a small smile that the Viscount noted Jane waited until everyone had been helped out before she herself arose. If the Viscount's eagerness to help the Bennets from their carriage had been noticed, his insistence on escorting Jane inside soon became the gossip of the night. London seemed to adhere religiously to the proverb 'out of sight, out of mind' and for one sole evening, Elizabeth Bennet forfeited her position as the ton's topic of interest in favour of her eldest sister.

The Bennets were most certainly making a splash.

* * *

Lydia, who had very little patience for her family's insistence on slowly making their way inside and holding prolonged greetings with every acquaintance they passed had, in quite an unladylike manner, hurried up the stairs unescorted. She was in search of the Duke of course, and had no desire to waste another second on anyone who would not be of use to her plans or her future.

She had only just stepped inside the large, yet rather stuffy, tea room when she spotted the man she had been looking for. He seemed to be in animated conversation with yet another aging lady and Lydia, who had only recently come to understand his real reason for doing so, rolled her eyes as she walked over, plastering a sweet smile on her face.

"Good evening, Your Grace," she said in a low voice, curtseying to the Duke and then greeting the woman beside him.

"I fear I must interrupt you as Lord Matlock is in urgent need of your advice, sir," she continued, her smile widening ever so slightly as she noticed the woman nod knowingly and make her excuses as she went in search of her daughter.

"What is it that Lord Matlock wishes to discuss?" Edward asked, slightly puzzled.

"Oh dear, and you accuse _me_ of being naïve!" Lydia said with a laugh, "What I said was probably as true as if I'd announced I'm a Dutch princess. Really, have you not learned to notice lies when they're so blatantly executed right in front of you?" she finished, shaking her head, and motioning for the young man to offer her his arm.

Obeying meekly, although an amused smile played on his lips, the Duke fell into step with the girl as they slowly walked along the circumference of the room and spoke in hushed tones.

"I suppose I shall have to wait until later this evening for your advice, but I can think of no better place to begin teaching you than precisely where we are now," the Duke said, scanning the crowded room in search of his first topic of interest.

"Do you see that man, standing directly beside the entrance way?" Edward inquired, glancing at Lydia as her eyes followed the direction in which he had nodded.

"Yes, the one with the dark blue waistcoat and look of sincere distaste?" Lydia replied, and the Duke responded affirmatively.

"He is well-known as the gentleman with the most wandering eye, and hands for that matter, in London. His name is Thomas Lowland and that feathered monstrosity you see standing a few steps from him is his wife."

Seeing the girl beside him nod, Edward continued, "Your task for this evening is simply to watch him. You have excellent observational skills, and if you wish to, uh -" here the Duke paused, seeming slightly uncomfortable with the words he was about to say.  
"Seduce him? Trick him? Ruin him, perhaps?" Lydia suggested nonchalantly, and the poor man beside her only nodded, feeling distinctly guilty for even discussing such things with a woman as young as the one standing beside him.

Clearing his throat the man continued, "Well, he is an easy enough target with which to begin. Observe him closely, observe the way he speaks to women, and how the women he pursues act. By the end of the night, I want you to have singled out exactly five characteristics portrayed by these women. This will not only sharpen your ability to observe but show you exactly how to act if you want to catch a man's attention."

"Very well," Lydia responded, finding her task simple enough and trusting her new friend would not assign her a completely pointless project.

The girl now glued her eyes on her target, and barely blinked when the Duke excused himself, promising to visit their box at some point during the performance. Finding her little game quite entertaining, Lydia barely noticed the time slip by as she took in the man's every movement, and watched his eyes wander in the direction of first one woman, then another.

* * *

While her sister seemed lost to the world around her, Kitty slowly strolled along the room in search of Mr Martin, but also admiring the dresses of the women she passed and the paintings on the walls that seemed rather worn, but beautiful nonetheless.

At last growing bored of her wandering she stepped over to the tea table and poured herself a cup, noticing a shy looking woman opposite her attempting to do the same but shaking ever so slightly as she held the teapot with both hands.

"Do you need some help?" Catherine asked, a kind smile on her face.

"Oh," the girl said, looking rather surprised at being the object of the question, "Oh no, I'm sure I'll manage. I do get so dreadfully shaky the only thing that ever seems to help is when I'm painting."

"You're an artist!" Kitty exclaimed in delight, immediately lowering her voice as the girl seemed to jump at its loudness.  
"My name is Catherine Bennet. I'm an artist too, although I am still learning. I'm being taught to paint by Mr Lucius Winthrope, do you know him?"

The woman, who had rather messy ash blonde hair and pale grey eyes, seemed to light up at the mention of the kindly old man.

"Yes of course! Who doesn't know Mr Winthrope? He is such a marvelous artist, and he sometimes allows me to borrow books from his store and refuses to accept any form of payment in return."

Ecstatic to have found yet another like-minded individual, Kitty happily continued the conversation, determined to learn more about the girl before her.

"He is such an interesting old man," she said, "May I ask your name?" Kitty had begun to notice the majority of artists seemed intensely shy and she would have to do most of the talking if any information was to be shared.

"Oh goodness, I _am_ being rather rude, aren't I? My name is Clarisse Applebottom. I hail from Colchester but I have been residing in London for the past ten years after my father's death. Tonight is actually a rather big event for me as I was solely responsible for painting every mural, every piece of furniture, and every landscape you will see on stage during the performance. "

"Oh, that must be so exciting!" Kitty's interest was visible, and somehow its genuineness seemed to entice a smile to form on Miss Applebottom's face.

"It truly is, although I can't say I achieved it all on my own. I had quite a lot of help from Mr Winthrope himself as he told the theatre manager of my abilities in the first place."

"I shall most certainly pay special attention to the setting of the opera this evening, then. I wouldn't want to miss a single aspect of your work!" Kitty said sincerely, her kindness setting the woman across from her at ease and cementing a firm friendship between the two immediately. Before the show began Kitty had already provided Miss Applebottom with her address and an invitation to visit the following week. She had at last found a friend and her happiness at such an occurrence was visible.

The two women had only just parted after Kitty insisted Clarisse promise to visit when she felt a small tap on her shoulder and spun around to find none but Mr Martin himself standing before her.

"Why, how delightful it is to see _you_ here Mr Martin!" the girl exclaimed, her smile widening even more.

"It is I who should be expressing my happiness at the coincidence, and not you Miss Catherine," the young man seemed rather bashful at Kitty's visible excitement but insisted he was very pleased to have run into her that evening.

"I have been thinking of you quite often since we last met, Miss Catherine," he said sheepishly, unsure of whether his statement would be well received.

The pink tinge on Kitty's cheeks did not prevent her from expressing her curiosity and pleasure at such a statement, and she urged the young man to further explain his remark.

"It is simply that I have not yet found, in all of London, anyone quite as passionate about art as you are, and I find it a delightful change from those who only fawn without understanding even the slightest detail of our craft."

"Well, I must admit I am rather new to the world of artistry, but I am drawn further into its depths with every passing day, and I am not at all averse to the journey."

"Remarkable! I _must_ see some of your work. What genre do you find you are drawn to?"

With a slightly shy delight, Kitty spent the following quarter of an hour in a detailed discussion of her preferred style of painting, and Mr Martin's consistent interest and genuine curiosity regarding her opinions left the girl feeling quite pleased with herself and the evening in general long before the real entertainment even began.

As the announcement was made that the performance was about to begin, Kitty made sure to inform Mr Martin of the location of their box before hurrying in search of her sisters with a smile on her face and the distinct feeling of butterflies in her stomach. Never in her short life had she imagined a gentleman as handsome, and as talented, would take any interest in her, but somehow fate had proved her wrong.

* * *

Jane's evening had not started out quite as smoothly. The Viscount had been a perfect gentleman, and she had enjoyed their short conversation as they made their way to the tearoom. The man had only just left her side, insisting on bringing her some tea before they were to move to their seats when Mr Reeding approached with a smile and a low bow.

"You look beautiful as always, Miss Bennet," he said as he stepped forward.

With a light blush, Jane curtseyed and offered her greeting in a similar, if slightly less obviously flirting, manner.

"It is wonderful to see you again too, Mr Reeding," she smiled, glancing briefly in the direction of the Viscount who was still engrossed in his tea-pouring duties.

"I must admit I have greatly missed your company lately, it has been such ages since we last met, has it not?" the gentleman murmured, his eyes following Jane's gaze.

"Yes, it certainly has," she replied, turning her attention once more to the man before her with a cheerful smile.

"You know, I have a box of my own so if yours becomes at all crowded or stifling, feel free to migrate to mine," he said in a tone that made Jane slightly uncomfortable, but then added, "Together with your aunt and uncle, or sisters, of course," and the young woman immediately gave a small sigh of relief. Elizabeth had warned her to beware of the men of the ton, and even though she was the eldest she trusted her sister's advice implicitly.

"Thank you kindly for your invitation, sir," she replied quietly, her unassuming nature destroying any further feelings of discomfort.

At that very moment, the Viscount returned to her side, tea in hand, and with an expression of curiosity upon his face.

"Good evening, Mr Reeding," he said in a calm, if not entirely friendly, tone.

"It is indeed a marvelous evening, Lord Fitzwilliam!" the gentleman exclaimed, extending his hand to shake the one the Viscount had offered. The two men seemed locked in a staring contest, and it was only Jane's inquiry as to whether the performance's libretto was available for purchase that broke them from their trance-like state.

"Certainly!" Mr Reeding was the first to reply, "I saw the woman who usually sells them wandering about as I entered, may I escort you?" he said, offering his arm.

The Viscount, seeing his opponent take the lead, immediately butted in, "That shan't be necessary as the performance is about to begin and I am sure you wouldn't want to miss a moment, Miss Jane. Besides, it seems your sister has come in search of you," and at that Kitty arrived with a foolish grin and a skip in her step.

"Allow me to procure a few for our box, I promise I shan't be gone more than a few moments," Andrew concluded, stepping away from the little group and hurrying in the direction of the entrance.

Lady Matlock, Georgiana, and Lydia soon joined them, followed by the Earl and the Gardiners, and Mr Reeding was forced to take his leave as the party slowly made their way to their seats. The curtain had only just been lifted when the Viscount reappeared, taking his seat beside his father and mother, after personally handing Jane one of the booklets he had brought with him, a wistful expression on his face.

* * *

Lydia found the first quarter of the performance incredibly boring. She had tried to pay attention, tried listening, but even though she understood more of the dialogue than any of her sisters, she could not for the life of her find the willpower to focus on the events before her.

Her relief was, therefore, immense when the Earl and Mr Gardiner arose and took to discussing business in the back corner of the box. Mr Gardiner's suggestions had already proved incredibly lucrative to the Earl and he was excited to discuss further options for their joint venture. The Viscount had joined them for part of the discussion, and this left the women to themselves.

Mrs Gardiner, finding that the next aria would not be sung for several more minutes, decided to go in search of some refreshments and both Lydia and Georgiana pounced on the opportunity, although the former only arose in an attempt to do anything but sit and stare at the stage as her eyes slowly glazed over.

* * *

Kitty, on the other hand, was entirely captivated. Each scene was acted with such emotion, and the setting so expertly designed and executed, that her eyes barely moved from the stage. Miss Applebottom had done a magnificent job, and the girl determined to tell the woman exactly that when she saw her again.

* * *

On the opposite side of the small room, and finding themselves as close to alone as could be expected, Lady Matlock saw a prime opportunity to discuss her son's feelings with Jane.

As a rule, she hated interfering but felt obligated to do so now, especially with the young man's happiness at stake.

"How are you enjoying the performance?" the Countess asked innocently, doing her best to approach the subject tactfully, as she was concerned not only for her son's feelings, but Jane's as well. She had come to like the quiet, gentle girl just as much as she liked the opinionated, lively Elizabeth, and felt no desire to cause her any embarrassment or unhappiness.

"It is spectacular, Lady Matlock, although I must admit I understand very little of the words," came Jane's reply in her usual mellow tone.

"Ah, but opera has very little to do with dialogue and far more to do with feeling," the Countess replied.

"That is very true. I may not understand their words, but I can certainly understand their emotions," Jane agreed, smiling lightly as the woman on stage flirted shyly with her suitor.

"Then you must have noticed Andrew's marked interest in you, my girl," Lady Matlock said quietly, glancing over to her son to ensure they were still out of earshot.

Jane's cheeks immediately reddened and she hid her face in her hands.

"He has not made it very difficult to see but, then again, Andrew has never been one to hide his feelings from those he cares for," the Countess added, hoping to draw some sort of response from the girl before her.

Jane's voice, now softer than ever, came in reply, "I thought I was perhaps only being fanciful. I certainly did not imagine someone of Lord Fitzwilliam's station would be at all interested in me," Jane's voice grew almost impossibly quieter as she spoke, her face still quite pink.

"I taught both my sons to value honesty, kindness, and grace, above station and rank and, although they have often been obligated to rank duty above their hearts, Andrew would be a fool not to notice you, dear," Lady Matlock said with a gentle smile.

Continuing, the Countess said, "The only reason I am telling you this is because Andrew has suffered two enormous losses in his young life, and he still lives in constant worry for his brother's safety. He does not deserve to be strung along, not that you would ever do so knowingly, but I feared you did not realize his interest in you, and perhaps because of that you did not consider him as a suitor."

Glancing once again in the Viscount's direction, a troubled look crossed Jane's face.

 _Now I understand why the Viscount has been so attentive,_ she thought to herself, _However, Mr Reeding has so obviously shown his interest in me as well. In fact, he was the first gentleman to openly express any desire to pursue our acquaintance past merely flirting. Oh dear, what am I supposed to do?_

Lady Matlock did not feel entirely reassured at Jane's perplexed look, but she found relief in the fact that now the girl at least knew. She was sure Jane would not wish any pain on either gentleman and would make her decision known in as clear, yet kind, a way as possible as soon as she knew where her heart lay.

For now, all the Countess could do was hope for the best. She would not at all be averse to having another Bennet in the family, especially not if that Bennet was the sweet, soft-spoken girl seated beside her.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hey guys. So sorry for the super long absence! Like I wrote at the top of the last chapter, my grandfather passed away a few days ago and I haven't been in much of a writing mood, nor have I had much time to just sit down and write.

I promise I'll be back with a new chapter and replies to all your lovely reviews within this week, but for now I hope you enjoy the new chapter and, as always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments!

Cheerio, Sammy


	36. Everything But The Opera

Lydia, who had wandered off after her aunt and Georgi, had proceeded to do everything but pour herself some tea and return to her seat. After taking far longer than necessary to straighten her skirts and leave the box, she found the dimly lit hallway nearly empty as she leisurely strolled onwards to the tea room. She'd only just turned a corner when her gaze settled upon a shadowy figure leaning against the wall - it was none other than Mr Thomas Lowland, this time standing uncomfortably close to an unrecognizable young woman. The lamps were still dim as the performance had not yet paused half-way as was customary and so the girl, keeping to the shadows as she moved, drew ever so slightly closer to the couple hoping to make out what was being said.

She had sneaked dangerously close to the pair when suddenly Mr Lowland and his companion stepped into the light with their backs turned towards her, and disappeared down the hallway. Unable to fight her curiosity Lydia pursued, stepping as lightly as she could. Keeping her eyes trained on their dim figures the girl tiptoed along after them, stopping only when they turned a corner and she heard a door squeak open and shut again with a light thump. They had disappeared into what Lydia assumed was an unused cloakroom, and if the girl had been curious before, she now found herself frozen to the spot before the closed door. She simply _had_ to know what they were doing.

Leaning in closer, she laid her ear against the wood and strained to make out any sounds from inside. As she did so she couldn't help but quietly chuckle at the fact that she seemed to be spending an extraordinary amount of time following Londoners around dark hallways. For several minutes she could only make out whispering and a few giggles that were almost instantly hushed.

Then everything fell abruptly quiet.

Lydia, who had quickly begun to grow bored with her little adventure, immediately perked up and focused her attention on the door once again. She had no desire to get caught, even though she felt certain she would be able to talk herself out of any accusations and was just about to make good her escape when her ears picked up a new set of sounds.

For a split second, she wondered what in the world they were but then, as the realization quickly dawned, her eyes suddenly widened and her cheeks began to burn.

Hurriedly backing away from the door she lost her footing, fell flailing backward, and found herself sitting down hard on the polished wooden floor. Fearing her fall had been heard she rapidly scurried to her feet, rushed in the opposite direction of the cloakroom, and made good her return to the Matlocks' box. Her cheeks were still tinged bright red but, as no one seemed to notice, she fell into her chair with a loud, relieved sigh.

She had always prided herself on knowing more of the relations between a man and woman than any of her sisters – Mrs Smith's tongue having been far too loose on her frequent visits to Meryton's small haberdashery – but being made privy to such actions, even in a minor way, had simultaneously surprised and embarrassed the girl more than she would ever admit.

 _You are being utterly ridiculous, Lydia!_ She said to herself, _How do you expect to seduce a man if you cannot even bear hearing a few inappropriate sounds?_

Thankfully Georgi and Mrs Gardiner returned soon after and Lydia could, at last, forget her embarrassment as Lady Matlock moved to join them and almost immediately turned the conversation to the main Opera girl's voice.

Even though she had paid little to no attention to what had been happening on stage, Lydia had never in her life been more eager to engage in a discussion of the talents of a woman other than herself as she was at that very moment.

* * *

As the curtain fell on the first half of the performance, Lady Matlock arose and suggested a game of cards. Calling to one of the servants she requested a table be set up, and soon thereafter insisted Lydia join the game so they could observe her actions and perhaps learn a trick or two in the process.

The Earl, who was unaware of the girl's skill, found himself teamed up with Mr Gardiner as Lady Matlock placed herself firmly at Lydia's side, determined to at last defeat her husband in a game. Mrs Gardiner and Georgiana joined forces, although they knew full well they would not last all that long at all, which left Jane, Kitty, and the Viscount to their own devices.

* * *

Finding her sister and Lord Fitzwilliam completely oblivious to her attempts at making conversation Kitty stood up with an indignant huff and withdrew from the room.

 _The tea room ought to be infinitely more interesting!_ she thought to herself and slowly made her way through the hallway, greeting a few familiar faces, and sticking her tongue out at a few disdainful ones behind their backs. It was at just such a moment, with her tongue protruding from her mouth and her eyes being rolled _most_ inelegantly when she spotted Mr Martin and felt her body grow cold with shock and embarrassment.

He had been looking directly at her as she so openly displayed her poor manners and the unreadable expression on his face made her worry she had lost his good opinion forever. Her relief, therefore, was immense and spilled over into a shy giggle, when he broke into a face-splitting grin and had to cover his mouth with his hand to prevent him from laughing.

 _The colonel never tried to hide his laughter,_ a small voice reminded her and her face fell for a few seconds, before returning to its usual cheery state.

Her heart still ached from his rejection and abandonment but she couldn't allow such painful thoughts to prevent her from finding new happiness, happiness that seemed far more promising than Richard ever returning, giving up his beloved position in the army, and actually falling for an artist with no dowry and no particularly redeeming qualities.

 _I loved him. I still love him. But I can't allow that to stop me anymore,_ she would try her best to convince herself to move on.

"I've never seen someone openly show _quite_ as much dislike for high society as you just did, Miss Catherine, and I must say I found it delightful!" Mr Martin chuckled as he approached.

"I really do apologize for my behaviour, I have just grown so dreadfully tired of all the ugly looks and whispered insults," she said, her voice sounding decidedly unapologetic.

"It would not be wise to incur the ire of some of those present tonight. The reputations of nearly all the ton's inhabitants rest in the hands of far too small a group of elite men and women," his voice sounded far more serious than Kitty had expected and she immediately mentally rebuked herself for her carelessness.

"Your words are truer than I would like to admit," she voiced at last, unsure of how to continue.

"I simply do not want you to fall under unnecessary scrutiny, Miss Catherine," came Mr Martin's reply in a much more cheerful tone, "London can be such a dreadful adjustment, I myself found it incredibly challenging to learn the ways of the ton when I first arrived."

"You weren't raised here?" Kitty inquired curiously.

"Oh no, my family home is in Brighton," came his reply.

"Brighton?" the girl exclaimed, "Oh, I have always wanted to visit! I've heard the weather is far warmer and the sea is just divine!"

"You most certainly aren't mistaken! When I first came to London I missed the ocean so dearly, I would go down to the harbour hoping to smell the fresh sea air or watch the sunset over the water, but here it is all just grey and smells of rotten fish and burning wood," Kitty's nose instinctively crinkled at the description and Mr Martin gave a small laugh.

"You seem to have a very lively imagination, Miss Catherine," he noted, as his laughter died down.

"So I've been told. For ages, I felt as though nothing could really provide me with an outlet for all my ideas and dreams. That is until I began painting and drawing. Now I simply close my eyes, take a deep breath, and recreate whatever comes to mind," Kitty's voice trailed as she spoke, her thoughts turning to a set of portraits she had drawn what felt like an eternity ago and subsequently hidden at the very back of her portfolio.

Snapping back to reality, she gave the young man before her a small smile and said, "You really must pay my sisters and me a visit. I would love to show you what I have been working on. I'm sure you will be able to provide me with some much-needed criticism as Mr Winthrope rarely says anything bad about my projects, he is always so kind about giving advice he even makes his suggestions sound as though I thought of them first."

"I would be honoured to view your work," came his happy reply.

"Well, then it is settled! I shall expect you after three any day next week," Kitty stated matter-of-factly, handing the man her card - or rather the card her aunt had given her to use - as Mr Martin only nodded with a pleased, yet surprised look on his face. He certainly did not seem at all used to the lively young woman's straightforward manners.

Catherine spent the next few minutes merrily discussing her favourite artists with Mr Martin, who described his in return and also suggested several new books from which to take inspiration. So engrossed did she become in their conversation that she felt quite despondent when the time came for her to retrieve a cup of tea and return to her seat.

She had looked for Miss Applebottom, hoping to congratulate her on her excellent work, but the girl seemed nowhere to be found and so Kitty made her way back to her family and friends in high spirits, eager to share her news with her sisters and aunt.

* * *

In the meantime, Lydia and the Countess had won their first game, much to the Earl's surprise. The girl had only just begun to explain her background, at Lord Matlock's request, when the Duke stepped into the box with a smile and greeted those assembled with a polite nod.

"Have you come to test your luck once more, Edward?" Lady Matlock asked with a delighted laugh.

"I'm afraid not," the man said with a rather sheepish look, "I have come simply because I enlisted Miss Lydia's help to better my playing."

"It promises to be a monumental task," Lydia said with a smirk, ignoring the surprised looks of those around her at the way she addressed the man.

Georgi, who had decided she would rather join her cousin and Jane in conversation, vacated her seat which was soon after filled by the Duke as he made himself comfortable and looked expectantly at Lydia to begin her lesson.

With a smile the girl dealt out a new set of cards to everyone except the puzzled young man beside her and, seeing his expression, she laughingly said, "The secret to playing and winning at cards, Your Grace, does not lie in the cards but in the players!"

All those gathered at the table turned their attention to the young girl in anticipation at her words. In a similar fashion to the way the Duke had instructed her to hone her skills of observation, Lydia now instructed the man to do the same, as the rest of the players listened intently and determined to do the same as well.

"Facial expressions, swallowing, hand and eye movements, yes, and even blinking all silently project precisely what sort of cards the player holds. Your, sir, bite your lower lip when you are unsure of your position," she instructed, well aware of the fact that all the players' eyes were glued to her as she spoke, and loving every second of the attention.

"Truly?" came the Duke's surprised exclamation.

"Indeed. Lady Matlock toys with her necklaces when she believes she will win," the girl stated nonchalantly as the Countess gave a surprised exclamation, followed by a small laugh as she realized the verity of the girl's words.

"And Jane, who is one of the easiest players to read, always twists a lock of hair around her finger when she feels uncertain of what to play, and that usually means she holds a poor selection of cards," Lydia's words soon drove all the players madly distracted as they focused far more on the expressions of those around them than the cards they held in their hands, much to the girl's amusement.

"So all you need to do, Your Grace, is to find one such sign for each of the remaining players," Lydia concluded, motioning for the game to begin. The Duke, who seemed to have lost his last shred of skepticism, proceeded to do precisely that and for the next twenty minutes, his eyes flitted constantly from one face to another as he strained his concentration so as not to miss a single action.

* * *

In light of her conversation with Lady Matlock, Jane found herself growing increasingly uncomfortable with the Viscount's proximity as he sat silently beside her. She was unsure of her feelings, and her future, and oh, how she wished Elizabeth was there to help her choose.

"Is something weighing on your mind, Miss Bennet?" the Viscount quietly inquired, part of him worried that his earlier reaction to Mr Reeding had upset the woman seated such a short distance away.

"Oh, it's nothing of great importance I suppose I just have rather a lot to think about, sir," Jane replied, not wanting to lie, but also refusing to tell him the full truth.

"And I most likely couldn't be of much help deciphering those thoughts, could I?" the man said with a small smile which Jane immediately mirrored.

"Unfortunately not, I am afraid I have to overcome this dilemma on my own," came her soft reply.

Seeing their train of conversation seemed to be making Jane more and more downcast, the Viscount determined to change the subject, bringing up his daughter's insistence that the girls visit her as soon as possible.

"She has been asking for you, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Catherine almost constantly these past few days, although I must admit she did not use your names properly at all," Lord Fitzwilliam chuckled, pleased to see Jane's smile returning as he recounted the new names each of the sisters had been assigned.

"Oh goodness, I'm sure Catherine will be quite annoyed to know Miss Margaret came to the exact same conclusion as we all did and has begun to call her Kitty," Jane laughed, "She has tried to rid herself of that pet name for as long as I can remember, but it has stuck relentlessly, unfortunately!"

"I know exactly how she feels. When I was younger everyone called me Andy and I absolutely hated it. I felt as though no one would take me seriously when my little brother constantly ran around screaming 'Andy, Andy, come quickly the Romans are attacking!'" the Viscount countered.

His brother had always seemed fascinated with war and strategy. Their games would consistently turn into extensive planning sessions where each participant was assigned a rank and duty, and each said participant would feel incredibly annoyed with the way the six-year-old boy insisted on commanding them and explaining each and every tactic they would use in great, if slightly flawed, detail.

"It came as no surprise then that he joined the army?" Jane asked with a cheerful look on her face as she imagined the two boys rushing around in their imaginary games.

"Not at all - although Darcy knew long before we did, but then again he was the only one who always took Richard's games seriously, so he was the first one my brother told of his decision. We constantly fear for his safety, of course, but the military is truly the one place my brother found purpose. He grows so restless when he returns home I doubt he will ever be able to live a sedentary life."

Their conversation continued well into the start of the second half of the performance, having turned to lighter topics once Georgiana joined them, and then dissolved into laughter when Catherine did the same. She was, of course, rather surprised that Margaret had begun to call her Kitty too, but if she was in anyway annoyed she hid it well behind a rather loud laugh that turned several heads from the audience towards their box and made Jane hide behind her sister in embarrassment.

Lydia, who insisted on seeing the Duke out to the hallway once several games had been played hurriedly recounted her experience with Mr Lowland, leaving out the very last part of her eavesdropping, and then smilingly provided her reply to his earlier challenge. The Duke was, needless to say, impressed with her dedication and astute observations and promised to provide her with more advice when they met again, before disappearing into the darkness and returning to his own box.

* * *

Each of the sisters truly enjoyed their outing that evening, although Lydia still wouldn't tell anyone where she had disappeared to earlier, or why she and the Duke seemed to be on such friendly terms. Thankfully each in their party remained so absorbed in their own experiences and thoughts they quickly brushed off her silence as nothing more than fatigue after their long and busy night.

Each of the Bennets and Gardiners fell into bed as soon as they arrived home, being informed that Mary had retired hours earlier, and didn't stir once until morning.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Thank you all so, so much for your kind messages and your patience! I never imagined I would find such a supportive community here on FF but you have all just been so wonderful and I don't have the words for how much I appreciate every last one of you!

Thank you to **Ayla, tfranco9, LadyLizzyPuff12, HarnGin, KurukiXV, Another Lizzie, Happy Lizzy, Mangosmum, Mstron2, Deanna27,** and **liysyl,** for all your kind words, they mean so much to me!

Now on to the replies,

 **Tfranco9 –** in defiance of the title of this story I shall now tell you to be patient! xD Jane is a dreadfully indecisive young lady I'm afraid.

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** Jane is sort of like that unfortunately. She hates disappointing anyone and feels she HAS to give Mr Reeding proper consideration as not doing so would be rather mean and Jane is NEVER, EVER mean. xD Hope this chapter cleared things up for you on the Kitty front as well. She's not quite over the Colonel yet but she's working on it, the poor girl. Ah well, Lydia is just Lydia. Somehow she just starts to improve and then goes and chucks it all out the window again. Very much still a know-it-all teenager.

 **Deanna27 –** Kitty has certainly not forgotten the Colonel although she is desperately trying to do so. I think it will take much more time for her to get over him but all we can do is hope she ends up happy. Mr Reeding was acting a bit strange, I must agree, and you will soon find out why!

 **AmyCampbell –** I hope you enjoyed the Viscount and Jane's interaction! And YES! I'm sooo excited for Darcy to be back!

 **Nancieellen –** Hahaha I have to admit Colin Firth is handsome and a great actor, but I MacFayden just seemed so damn Darcy-ish in appearance, I can't help it!

 **KurukiXV –** I _am_ in fact a Bible reader, and the verses you mentioned were such a comfort and brought a lot of peace to my heart. Thank you very much for suggesting them. – I'm also really glad to be back to focusing on a range of different characters again. The next chapter will have a lot more Lizzy in it, but there's really only so much she can do at Hunsford until Darcy arrives.

 **Another Lizzie –** that's so true. After the initial shock and sadness it just feels so strange to think he's just not here anymore. I know I'm a bit late but I can only wish for strength for you and your family. A mother is such an important, loving figure I can't imagine what you went through.

 **Mangosmum –** Thank GOODNESS Mrs B isn't here to tell Jane what to do, although I can imagine she'd be rooting for Andrew all the way since he's a Viscount after all. But then again she might have had issues with the fact that he already been married and has a daughter. I don't really know. Also, I TOTALLY agree with your opinion on the Colonel! I mean Darcy is a LITERALLY the dreamiest of the dreamy, AND the Viscount is quite the looker, so why wouldn't the colonel also be handsome? I mean he doesn't have to be Chris Hemsworth handsome, but he still has a lot going for him!

ALSO, I'm so, SO happy you noticed the significance of Darcy putting his trust in Mrs Reynolds! I did lots of research on whether it would be possible for the housekeeper of an estate to actually provide any help in running it financially and it seems as though an experienced, smart one could – and Mrs Reynolds is precisely that! I like to imagine Darcy wasn't so incredibly blind to the abilities of women as most men were at the time.

 **EmlynMara –** Thanks so much for your consistent reviews on the chapters! I'm always happy to see new people start commenting and I know how fun it is to binge a fanfic so please do keep reading!

 **TiaMaria710 –** Oh gosh thank you for your review! If I ever do publish, I'll be sure to let you all know here on FF

 **Tigrchic8 –** Yes I DID mean Matthew! I couldn't remember his name so I Googled it and found out his first name is David. I'm terrible with names anyway! xD I don't know if Keira Knightley is exactly as I would imagine Lizzy, but MacFayden DEFINITELY looks exactly like I imagined Darcy when I first read the book.

 **SuddenlySingle –** I agree Mr Reeding said a few questionable things but perhaps he is simply nervous and letting his tongue run away with him? I'm seriously impressed by your research skills in remembering each interaction they had! I doubt I could even do that! All I can say is I DO absolutely promise there is NOT a ton of angst here. Jane shouldn't be forced to deal with a scandal regarding herself when her other sisters are heading for quite few of their own anyway. xD

 **Lily –** I'm excited for Darcy and Lizzy's reunion too!

I hope I've replied to everyone! Thank you all again for being such awesome, supportive readers, and for making such a massive impact on this story and my love for writing! You rock!

And, before I forget AGAIN, just a reminder that **Lady Gertrude, her family, and her cats belong to the talented HarnGin who created them all and was kind enough to let me add them to my story,** and of course the **handsome, mysterious Duke of Avondale (Edward) is the creation of the awesome DetectiveOfTheOpera.** Everything about the characters belong to their respective creators, and I'm just pleased I get to play around with their stories for a bit!

Xx,

Sammy


	37. All Your Pious Intentions

_Saturday, February 8th, 1812_

 _S_ aturday morning dawned with an invitation to visit Darcy house from Georgiana who insisted she would be bored out of her mind if left alone all day.

Mr Gardiner gave his excuses, reminding his wife that he had far too much work to spend his day away from the warehouses, and so the note hurriedly scribbled to Georgi informed her all four sisters and their aunt would happily join her for tea that afternoon.

* * *

In Kent, Elizabeth had been struggling to maintain her sanity despite her cousin's constant reprimands and wailing of "Lady Catherine is most displeased."

No amount of naps, early morning jaunts, or prolonged walks seemed to be able to air out the stifling atmosphere at the parsonage, and Lizzy had begun to despair of any sense of normalcy returning to her daily routine when a light knock on the door drew her out of her daydreaming, the book she had been reading lying open on the table beside her.

Hurrying to let in the unannounced visitor, Lizzy couldn't help but wish it was Fitzwilliam standing on the other side of the door. Although she was perfectly capable of managing London, and Lady Catherine, by herself she missed having someone to confide in, someone who could offer more comfort than merely a squeeze of her hand and a simple "It shall all blow over, don't you worry."

Although it did not come as a surprise that it was _not_ , in fact, Fitzwilliam waiting impatiently at the parsonage's main door, Lizzy couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed that it was only Anne de Bourgh standing before her, a small smile on her face.

"Good morning, Miss de Bourgh," Elizabeth said, trying to sound cheerful but failing horribly. She had never been any good at hiding her emotions.

"Good morning, Miss Elizabeth," Anne returned, mirroring Lizzy's polite curtsey.

"I'm afraid Charlotte and Mr Collins have left to visit a sickly tenant and I haven't the slightest idea when they will return," Elizabeth called out as she followed Anne into the drawing room.

"Oh, I am not in search of either Mr or Mrs Collins, I have merely come in search of some pleasant company, which I am sure you will provide," the woman stated matter-of-factly as she shakily lowered herself into a chair.

"Mama has been in a poor mood all morning, and I simply had to get out of the house even if only for a few minutes," she said, gazing about the room.

"I see," Lizzy commented, "Could I perhaps offer you a cup of tea?"

"That sounds lovely, however, the maid doesn't seem to be about anywhere, so I believe I shall have to wait," Miss de Bourgh replied, turning about in her seat in search of one of the servants.

With a light laugh, Lizzy countered, "I'm afraid there are no servants to make tea here, the parsonage has only a cook and a lady's maid who also fulfills all other household needs when it is required of her. She does not, however, serve guests," she said as she made her way over to a small table where a large teapot stood next to a few cups and saucers.

"No maid? I don't believe I could ever live in such a manner!" Anne exclaimed, colour now slowly returning to her face.

"Many people do, Miss de Bourgh, and feel no less comfortable for it," Lizzy whispered as she poured the fragrant liquid into two cups, quite surprised that the girl seemed to have very little knowledge of life outside Rosings and London.

As Lizzy handed Anne her tea the woman once more spoke, "I suppose you have much planning to do for the wedding?"

"I did have a lot to do, but thankfully with the help of Mrs Reynolds, much of that has been completed," Lizzy said smilingly. She had become increasingly excited about the event as time passed, and talking about it always seemed to bring back her cheer.

"Ah yes, Mrs Reynolds! Such a lovely old lady, she often snuck me pastries when mama and I visited. That was before Fitzwilliam's mother passed. It was such a shame – she was such a lovely woman – beautiful, graceful, and with the kindest smile you could ever imagine," Anne's voice trailed as she spoke, "I loved my aunt dearly. She would always insist I play with my cousins instead of sitting quietly on a chair where my mother could keep an eye on me."

"I have rather a high standard to live up to, don't I?" Lizzy asked with an uneasy giggle. She knew a lot of responsibilities and expectations would be placed on her as soon as she became Mrs Darcy, she could only hope to do her husband and the Darcy name proud.

"Oh don't you bother yourself over that! Fitzwilliam's parents would have loved you," Anne interrupted, "My mother could never be satisfied with any of the choices her family members made, so do not put too much merit to her reprimands and arguments. The only person she ever fully supported was Andrew, and that was simply because he married a woman equal in standing to himself, but far, far wealthier."

Elizabeth nodded, realizing it would be futile to go up against Lady Catherine in the hopes that she would, at last, acquiesce and approve of the match.

That morning Miss de Bourgh did much to lighten Elizabeth's spirits, even though she could only stay for an hour, or risk her mother sending out a search party after her. The two women would see each other at church again the next day, and Lizzy felt genuinely pleased to have made another friend despite the enormous difference in their upbringing and wealth.

* * *

In London, the four Bennet sisters and their aunt were having a most enjoyable time. Georgiana had invited Lady Gertrude and her daughter to join them, as well as Lady Matlock, and together the party made for cheerful, lively company.

Lady Gertrude's daughter, Lady Atherton, seemed to take an instant liking to Mrs Gardiner, who was closer to her age than any of the sisters, and the group spent a delightful afternoon focusing only on the positive and cheerful, and refusing to allow the ton's negativity to spoil their joy.

Georgiana had been growing more and more confident as the weeks passed and, although she still sometimes felt nervous when entertaining adults, she was thankful for the practice she was getting. She knew soon she would no longer have to host any gatherings for her brother, but she hoped Elizabeth would not be averse to enlisting her help with future parties and dinners. Pemberley had not hosted any such events in many, many years.

After her mother had died, her father had become somewhat reclusive, and so had her brother, which meant no balls, dances, dinners, or tea parties were ever held and the only guests they would host over summer would be the Bingleys or the Colonel. Georgi hoped Elizabeth would change that, and bring laughter and merriment to Pemberley's halls once more.

* * *

Mary had been rather quiet throughout the visit, but that was in no way unusual. She seemed to like Lady Trudy an immense deal but felt far too shy to initiate a conversation, that is until the old lady spotted her sitting by herself near the fire and made her way over to the seat beside her.

"I too need a short respite from all the laughter and gossip," Lady Trudy said as she lowered herself slowly onto the chair, "Such social gatherings often tire me out, but I do enjoy them so!"

"I find them rather wearying as well, I'd much rather be home reading or writing, or at least spending my time doing something useful," Mary said quietly, her old habit of looking down on her sisters for their silliness and laughter temporarily returning.

"At your age, I often thought the same," Lady Trudy said sounding ever so slightly stern, but still good-humored, "And I still regret not spending more time with my brothers and sisters. They would often go visiting our neighbours, or get invitations to balls and for more than just a few years I refused to join them until one day my mother sat me down and told me exactly what I am about to tell you," the lady paused as Mary's eyes flitted towards her face.

"You may find these activities silly, or purposeless, but just remember that your sisters will soon be married, and so will you. You will have your own homes, own lifestyles, own households to run, and then the only way you will ever truly see each other again is during parties or visiting each other over summer. It is best you get used to these outings now, or else you might find yourself declining every invitation and becoming a stranger to the very people you once held dear."

Lady Trudy gave the girl a small smile and squeezed her hand, "I don't mean to say you should change your character and go to every dance and every party, but when it is only your family and close friends, why not make the effort? These moments are the ones you will remember far into the future, my dear."

Mary, who had been staring into her lap for much of the lady's monologue now lifted her head ever so slightly and gave the woman the smallest of smiles, "I suppose you are correct," she said quietly.

"I am very rarely wrong," Lady Trudy countered in a joking tone.

Standing up most decisively the old lady waited for Mary to do the same then linked arms with her, and together they made their way back to the cheerful party where Mary stayed for the remainder of the visit and even found herself being drawn into the conversation more often than not.

* * *

 _Sunday, February 8th, 1812_

As was usual, the Gardiners and Bennets arose early on Sunday morning and prepared themselves for church. Mr Ferrars would be joining them for the service, and Mrs Gardiner had decided to extend an invitation to dinner on Monday as well, hoping to get to know the quiet, kind young man a little better.

Lydia, who was not particularly fond of attending church, seemed infinitely more pleased with the prospect that day. Not because she had had a change of heart, or decided to become a more devout worshiper, but simply because she found the long, droning sermons the optimum opportunity to watch the people of the ton in an environment where they did not expect to be observed with such rigour at all. And when people do not suspect being watched, they often reveal the most about themselves to the world.

Georgiana had recently expressed a desire to attend more sermons and so the Gardiners had decided to attend the service in Mayfair, collecting Georgi on their way there, and this pleased Lydia even more. She had no interest in watching the inhabitant of Cheapside, but the residents of Mayfair were an entirely different group of people.

Taking their seats inside, Lydia was not at all surprised to see Mr Lowland and his wife positioned several rows before them. She had realized early on in her life that often the most seemingly devout members of the church were the ones with the most to hide. All throughout the service she kept an eye on the man who seemed completely engrossed in the Vicar's sermon. As they stood for the final prayers, however, she noticed a small, folded sheet of paper fall from his pocket onto the floor. She waited expectantly, sure that he would notice and pick it up from wherever it had ended up, but he did not seem to notice at all. As the sea of people began to make their way out of the church, the last 'amen' having been said, Lydia roughly pushed past Kitty, and forced herself into the veritable tidal wave of bodies that were hurrying to the door. With great struggling she forged her way to the pew she had seen Mr Lowland occupy, stopping one bench too early and having to squeeze her way past a rather voluminous woman excitedly chattering with her companion, and at last she spied the little scrap of paper, laying inconspicuously beneath the very pew the gentleman had sat upon. Hurriedly she stuffed it into her glove, and made good her escape, finding it far easier to move with the tide of people than against them, and soon she stepped out into the cool air where her sisters were waiting impatiently for her to catch up.

She would have to examine the paper later, and that only heightened her excitement and curiosity.

* * *

In Kent, Elizabeth had quietly been sitting through a dreadfully long sermon on the 'importance of respecting one's elders,' and 'the dangers of vanity and arrogance,' trying desperately _not_ to roll her eyes in a way similar to Lydia when she is being told off.

Lady Catherine was seated at the very front of the church, and Lizzy could just make out her vigorous nodding ever time Mr Collins sent out a veiled reprimand under the guise of a well-thought out message to young women.

Elizabeth had written to Fitzwilliam on Friday and Saturday, as was usual, but she had still not received any letters from him since Friday. She knew it took around three days for the letters to arrive, and it was not unusual for him to miss a day here and there, but somehow their lack of correspondence made her uneasy.

Trying to clear her head of any worrying thoughts she mistakenly turned her attention to her cousin's words once more, just as he said, "above all, women should know their place. It is a foul and unattractive trait to assert oneself in the presence of those more experienced, and of a higher rank than yourself, and it will do young women no good whatsoever to move away from the path of humbleness and submission, and debase themselves in raucous, and ill-mannered ways."

Elizabeth noticed her cousin staring directly at her as he spoke, and she couldn't help but let her eyes droop ever so slightly and her head lean forward just a little, as she pretended to be in deep slumber, and noticed his voice grow slightly higher and much more indignant as he continued.

* * *

Lizzy, who had thoroughly enjoyed channeling her inner Kitty, had found the service to be far more pleasant than she had first thought it would be, especially as she watched her cousin's expression change every time he laid eyes on her as she pretended to sleep. She knew she would be chastised for behaviour once they arrived home, but at that precise moment, she could not find it within herself to care.

As there were not all that many people in attendance that day, those that did broke into small groups outside the church, catching up with neighbours and old friends.

Anne de Bourgh, who had been dutifully seated beside her mother, soon approached Elizabeth and Charlotte, smilingly greeting them with a small curtsey as they did the same.

"What an interesting service!" she exclaimed as she shaded her eyes from the bright sunshine, her stylish bonnet not offering her much protection, "I don't think I've ever seen Mr Collins deliver his sermon with such fervour," her small giggle immediately alerted Lizzy to the fact that she was joking.

"Indeed, I found it quite captivating!" Lizzy replied, as Charlotte merely gave a light laugh and shook her head at the two girls' antics.

"You two shall be the death of my husband, I am quite sure of it," Charlotte said, trying to suppress her urge to laugh as well. It was no secret she did not love her husband, although she did try desperately hard to respect him and honour him, but when he acted in such a petty manner she couldn't help but find it all rather amusing.

"Anne!" a loud voice rang out, "Anne! Come here this instant," Lady Catherine called, giving her daughter an angry look as she stood waiting for the girl to obey.

The woman in question simply gave a small sigh, shrugged her shoulders, and raised her brows ever so slightly as she gave a small curtsey and hurried over to her mother although she had to do so at a slow pace so as not to get winded.

"Anne, I shan't have you associating with that stubborn, insubordinate country girl," Lizzy overheard Lady Catherine say, although she was sure everyone had heard her as the lady did very little to lower her voice.

"It seems we shan't be receiving any invitations to Rosings for quite some time," Lizzy said, giving Charlotte a sympathetic look.

"Oh, never you mind that! I find those dinners dreadfully uncomfortable anyway, so you have done me a great service!"

Determining to have her friend say no more on the subject, Charlotte drew toward two ruddy looking young girls, who turned out to be the twin daughters of one of the many farmers in the region, and together the four, having collected Maria along the way, slowly strolled along the country path back to the parsonage. The girls, Emma and Julie, although not very well educated, were kind and friendly, and Lizzy took an instant liking to them, even though they were only about fifteen years old. Reaching the parsonage, the girls said their goodbyes and hurried onwards, their home being yet another mile along the road.

* * *

Finding herself with very little to do that afternoon, Lizzy decided to once more write to Fitzwilliam. She still refused to tell him of her dispute with his aunt, fearing it would lead to further division in his family, but she did reiterate how much she missed his company, and simply his presence beside her. Sealing the letter and placing it on the table in her room, to be sent the next morning, Lizzy could hear her cousin make his return along with Sir William.

Tired of avoiding the annoying little man simply for the sake of having some peace, Lizzy arose, straightened her skirts, and made her way to the drawing room, determined to face his comments head on and not let them bother her any longer.

* * *

In Gracechurch Street, Lydia found herself growing more and more impatient. She desperately wanted to examine the contents of the paper Mr Lowland had so carelessly dropped, but her aunt and sisters were constantly keeping her occupied. First she had to join them for a light meal, then she had to play with her cousins, then Emma had a dress she wanted to show her, and finally, Dorothy wanted to read the first chapter of the new book her father had bought her to the entire group.

At last, feigning a headache, she was allowed to go upstairs, where she promptly shut herself in her room and retrieved the folded sheet of paper.

Unfolding it hurriedly, she scanned its contents and then, with a beaming smile on her face, fell onto her bed with a delighted laugh.

 _Oh yes, this will prove most useful!_

* * *

 **A/N:**

There we go! Another chapter for you lovely people!

I wonder what Lydia is up to? All I can say for sure is it is no good! xD

Alrighty, TO THE REVIEWS!  
 **Lily –** Oh dear I don't quite know what Lydia has in mind, but I'm sure it will be interesting! If I ever do decide to publish, I will have to thank each and every one of you for your encouragement and support! I would not be writing this story without you!

 **Tfranco9 –** haha Darcy is on his way to Kent! Unfortunately the letter he wrote Lizzy has gotten a bit lost so she won't know of it for a little while longer!

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** Haha yes! Lydia did make a bit of a fool of herself, but she is only 16 and as I always say, she has a lot to learn still! Jane can be a bit frustrating when she can't make up her mind because she doesn't want to hurt anyone. But hopefully she'll get a little better. I really liked imagining the colonel as a little boy! He would have been so mischievous and so, so bossy! xD And yes! Anne and Lizzy are very similar! Lizzy is just a little more outspoken in some ways!

 **Deanna27 –** Yes I enjoyed Lydia's blunder as well! xD Things won't always work out well for her!

 **LavernJones –** Thank you so much for your kind words! And I'm really happy you enjoyed the last two chapters! Ah unfortunately it is not Miss Bingley, she has a far more hilarious fate awaiting her. I haven't forgotten about the Bingleys at all, and they'll soon be making a comeback in all their glory!

 **HarnGin –** Lydia is definitely learning, however I also think pure luck has a lot to do with the progress she's making which seems fitting as she's such an adept card player!

 **Nanciellen –** ah yes, and Lydia's rise to notoriety has only just begun!

 **EmlynMara –** thank you for your kindness! – Yes, at least Jane is aware of the Viscount's regard for her! And of course nothing about Lydia's actions are comforting, she is a bit of a wildcard and I rather like her that way! She has many lessons to learn and it does not seem very likely that they will all be painless.

 **The Guest who lost their Nana –** Thank you for your wonderful review of the story, and my sincerest condolences for your loss.

 **Guest who mentioned this was my first story –** I can't tell you how humbled I am when people review my story so positively! Thank you so, so much for your compliment! I would not have gotten so far with this story if it wasn't for all the incredible people on this platform who encourage and inspire me to continue!

 **TiaMaria710 –** Thank you so, so much! I've always had a great love for descriptive writing and I hope that shines through! The dress designs are a combination of period research – for instance most dresses had empire waistlines and the range of material at the time was rather limited to cotton, silk, and muslin (which is basically cotton too, if I remember correctly). The actual colouring and design of the dresses, however, are my own ideas. I actually design clothes as a hobby so I find it especially fun to dream up dresses that match each of the sisters' personalities. Especially Kitty's.

 **AmyCampbell –** I think the problem with Jane is that she's afraid Mr Reeding or the Viscount is just another repeat of Charles Bingley. And besides that, she hates hurting or disappointing people and she's desperately trying to find a way to choose without making anyone sad or unhappy. Kitty's story is a bit bittersweet to tell. She loves the Colonel, and he so obviously loves her, but neither of them know that, and their circumstances have pulled them apart. Now she's trying to focus on what is plausible, achievable, and that is Mr Martin who is an artist, understands her ideas, and has been nothing but charming, genuine, and supportive thus far. Perhaps he'll be able to help her at last overcome the obstacles of the past.

 **Thank you, thank you, thank you EVERYONE for your continued support of this story!** You guys are seriously my modern day heroes! xD

Cheerio until next time,

Sammy


	38. Nothing More to Hyde

_'Thomas,_

 _I am uncertain of the sincerity of your promise to me, and uncertainty is most definitely not the way in which to go about securing a woman's affections even though you may have claimed the rest of her as your own._

 _Do make haste and let us, at last, find a way to be together once more._

 _Impatiently, longingly yours,_

 _Alice"_

There were ink spots scattered across the paper, and the excessive amount of folds had smudged the lettering in some places, but the message was still very legible, and oh so very scandalous.

 _What a shame that a man so well-respected, so well-connected, could have all that stripped away from him by one simple, insignificant piece of paper,_ Lydia thought with a smile, her expression anything but sympathetic.

Yes, the wheels in Lydia's mind had begun to turn and poor, unaware Thomas Lowland would soon have far more trouble on his hands than a nagging wife and an impatient mistress.

* * *

 _Monday, February 10_ _th_ _, 1812_

Sir William left Kent quite early on Monday morning, insisting he would need to get to London as soon as possible so that he may, as was usual, take the afternoon to rest before continuing his journey. Satisfied that his daughter was living comfortably and that her needs had all been seen to, he bid farewell to Charlotte and Maria, before shaking Mr Collins' hand, giving Elizabeth a small bow and then pulling himself into the waiting carriage with a low groan.

If there was one thing Lizzy felt thankful for it was that she would not be required to share her return journey with the murmuring old man. He was pleasant enough to converse with, although not the most intelligent of men, but traveling anywhere with him by carriage was a complete and utter nightmare.

* * *

The three women had decided to spend their morning visiting the various members of the parish, Lizzy feeling undeniably eager to be outdoors once more even though the air was still very cold. Thankfully, their outing proved to be a wonderfully enjoyable one as everyone they visited seemed to be exceedingly fond of Charlotte, and extremely interested in Mr Darcy's fiancé. Many of the parishioners were also tenants of Rosings and as Mr Darcy had often seen to some aspects of his aunt's estate he was well-known and liked by all.

Being obliged to accept an offer of tea in nearly every house they passed, time went by smoothly and with each friendly face and merry greeting, they found their spirits lifting just a little higher than they were before. All except Maria of course, who found the incessant chattering rather boring and soon longed for each visit to be over, even though she had no real desire to return to the parsonage and face her brother-in-law either.

* * *

In Cheapside, Lydia and Kitty's lessons having both for the first time finished early on the same day, the girls begged their sisters for an outing of any sort, Lydia being so desperate to get out of the house she even suggested a bookshop. The weather seemed to have cleared considerably, and both the youngest Bennets were desperate to get out of the house in search of some fresh air and sunshine.

Finding no reason to deny them their request, Mrs Gardiner soon ordered the carriage to be brought around, the children to be dressed warmly, and the girls to prepare themselves for a visit to Hyde Park. She would have suggested a picnic be packed as well, but as Mr Ferrars would be visiting for dinner their outing would not be of long enough a duration to warrant packing refreshments.

* * *

Hyde Park seemed full to the brim that day - the pleasant weather having enticed nearly every member of society out into the open air to enjoy the sun and ample company.

It was no surprise then that, as they strolled along the wide paths, stopping every now and then to converse with friends and acquaintances, Emma and Dorothy spotted little Margaret Fitzwilliam and her maid seated on a luxurious looking quilt strewn across a dry patch of grass. Nor was it a surprise when, as they ran over dragging their cousins and brother with them, they spotted the Viscount too standing some way off in discussion with a rather old and stately looking gentleman none of the Bennets recognized.

"Margaret!" the two young girls squealed as they hurried up to Miss Fitzwilliam who seemed to be hosting some sort of party with her dolls.

"Oh, good morning!" the girl said, "Do excuse me as I absolutely _must_ conclude this meeting as soon as possible. Someone threw Annabeth off the table and I shan't rest until I discover the culprit."

The young maid seated beside her, and looking both amused and rather guilty, at last, interrupted and informed the girl that it was she who had bumped Annabeth to the floor unwittingly. At this Margaret merely said, "Very well, I hope it shan't happen again as Annabeth really can't endure such jostling. The poor thing is rather frail," and then dismissed her assembly of toys with a nod.

In an instant, she leaped to her feet and, as usual, greeted the sisters and Gardiner children in a most solemn manner although, in addition to calling Catherine 'Kitty', Jane had so reminded Margaret of the fairy-tale her father would often read to her, that Jane had been renamed Cinderella. Mary and Lydia, neither of whom Margaret found all that interesting, had merely remained Miss Bennet-One and Miss Bennet-Two.

* * *

Catching sight of the little group, some of which had now taken their seats on the beechwood stools set out around the quilt, the Viscount walked over with a happy smile.

"How lovely to see you all once more," he said after greeting the ladies, "I must introduce you to one of my most trusted business partners, although he has been a family friend for much longer than we have worked together."

Turning to the stately yet ancient looking man who had stepped up beside him the viscount continued, "Lord Roethorn, please allow me to introduce Mrs Marianne Gardiner, and her nieces Miss Jane, Miss Mary, Miss Catherine, and Miss Lydia Bennet."

Lord Roethorn gazed over the group of smiling faces with a discerning eye and then, giving a small bow simply said, "It's a pleasure to meet you but, as much as I would like to stay I'm afraid business calls me elsewhere."

And with another small bow, he was gone.

Rather amused by the old man's hasty departure Lydia was just about to make her thoughts known when a look of warning from Mary shut her up nearly instantly. She did, however, manage to stare daggers at her older sister for the remainder of the outing, not that Mary minded much at all.

"We wanted to invite Georgiana to join us, but apparently Mr Darcy has returned to London and she has decided to spend the day with him. He leaves for Kent tomorrow, so I'm quite sure we shan't be hearing much from Lizzy for the next few days," Kitty said with a giggle, watching her eldest sister's cheeks turn pink at her lack of discretion.

"I am surprised he did not go sooner. My aunt is a formidable woman to go up against, even more so as Miss Elizabeth is there almost entirely on her own," Andrew commented thoughtfully.

"Oh I wouldn't worry too much about my sister, sir, she is more than capable of taking care of herself without anyone else's help," Kitty chimed in once more, her admiration for Elizabeth shining through her words. Catherine had never paid her elder sister much attention, but as a result of the past few months' occurrences, she had grown a new admiration for Lizzy who seemed able to face anyone's anger, jealousy or accusations, even that of their own mother, if the need arose.

"Nevertheless, I am sure my sister will be delighted to see Mr Darcy once more," Jane added quietly, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I am certain she will," the Viscount added, his eyes lingering on Jane for just a split second longer than appropriate. Breaking his gaze, and turning to face Mrs Gardiner, the young man eagerly inquired after the party's plans for the week and, learning they had been invited to a dance hosted by Lord and Lady Cornwall the next evening, he quickly confirmed that he too had received an invitation and could now do nothing but accept, being reassured that such merry company would be present.

"It is such a dreadfully unfair rule that I may not accompany you, Papa," Margaret interrupted, at last deeming the topic of conversation worthy of her input.

"I have seen some of the ladies dance at these assemblies, and I'm quite sure I could fare far, far better. All too often they look like little puppets being plucked around, so stiff are their steps! And they absolutely refuse to twirl! It's quite preposterous!" she insisted fervently, convinced that she would make an invaluable addition to any dance.

"I am sure you will be the most popular girl at any ball once your time comes, Miss Margaret," Jane said with a sincere smile, bending down ever so slightly so she could look the young girl in the eye, "besides if you were present at these dances now, I'm afraid we would all lack partners for everyone would insist on dancing with you!"

"I suppose you are correct," Margaret said with a thoughtful look on her face, "It would not be fair of me to keep you all from dancing."

The little girl was just about to continue when Emma, who was almost as tall as Margaret despite their two year age difference, loudly whispered in the girls ear asking whether she would like to play a game and, in an instant, all her musings had been forgotten as the young Miss Fitzwilliam hurried off in the direction of Dorothy and Louis with her friend.

"She quite obviously adores you," Andrew quietly commented, once more looking directly at Jane.

"Oh, well I am utterly delighted with her as well. She reminds me so much of Elizabeth when she was younger," Jane said with a pleased expression.

The small group spent several more minutes in light discussion, the viscount obviously being a favourite amongst the Bennets and for good reason. Not once did he make any of the girls feel excluded from the conversation, even managing to get Mary to smile at his recount of the shenanigans he had gotten into with his brother and Mr Darcy when they were younger.

Catherine still fell quiet at every mention of the Colonel's name, but she refused to let such reminders of him sadden her any more. He had been an unattainable goal, living in a world so completely different from her own, and she had come to accept that. Instead, she merely reveled in the knowledge that she now knew what love felt like and that knowledge would guide her to the right person at the right time.

* * *

After spending a pleasant quarter of an hour seated in the sunshine, the Viscount proposed a short walk before the Bennets and Gardiners would have to return home. The children were still at play under the watchful eye of Miss Fitzwilliam's maid, and thus the entire group decided to accept the Viscount's proposal.

The small walking party set off with Lydia and Kitty at the front, Jane and the Viscount making their way after them, and Mrs Gardiner and Mary lagging some way behind, both content to enjoy the sunshine and cold air for as long as they possibly could.

* * *

The procession had only made it a few turns along the winding path when Lydia and Kitty suddenly stopped dead in their tracks. The Viscount and Jane, having been so entirely engrossed in their conversation, nearly bumped into the two girls who now stood staring down the path with defiant looks on their faces.

"Oh isn't this just absolutely quaint!" a familiar, high pitched voice rang out, and the colour instantly drained from Jane's face.

"Good afternoon, Mr Bingley, Miss Bingley," Kitty and Jane managed to squeak, as the Viscount greeted the two approaching figures as well, although in a much more confident tone.

"Miss Jane, I – uh, it is lovely to see you again," Mr Bingley stuttered, his face rapidly changing to a much pinker hue, as he completely ignored everyone in the group besides _his angel._ Mr Bingley's recent visit to Longbourn had renewed his hopes of winning Jane's affections but suddenly, faced with his first opportunity to do so in months, he hadn't the slightest idea what to say.

Jane couldn't find it within her to say a word. She could speak, of course, but the words simply refused to be formed.

"Oh where is Miss Eliza? I was _so_ looking forward to seeing her once more!" Caroline added immediately after her brother's stammering attempt at small talk.

"She is in Kent," Lydia stated, suddenly finding her voice as well and determining that, if Jane was incapable of saying anything, she would do it for her. This was her chance; she had finally come face to face with Mr Bingley but, in light of recent events, felt no more interest in obtaining his affections. Instead, she would speak in her sister's stead.

"Kent! What in the world is she doing there?" Caroline exclaimed far too dramatically than the question called for.

"Visiting her friend Mrs Charlotte Collins and meeting with Mr Darcy's relatives, of course," Lydia replied, "That is usually what you do when you are about to marry, not that you would know anything about that," she continued snidely, emphasizing each word in a tone she reserved only for the people she deemed to be incredibly stupid.

Caroline gave a small huff of annoyance, clearly not impressed with the fact that the youngest Bennet sister was addressing her in such a manner.

"Well, I suppose it was wise of Mr Darcy to introduce Miss Eliza to his family," Caroline said with a spiteful smile, "It's best to have them voice their objections now, while the wedding can still be averted!"

"Caroline, please!" Mr Bingley whispered and was completely ignored.

"Yes, I suppose," Lydia said, pretending to be deep in thought, "but then again, at least _Mr Darcy_ did not voice any objections to Elizabeth's company, unlike the way he vehemently refused to spend time with you."

"Oh you poor thing, as if I should care that Mr Darcy has fallen prey to some boorish, simple-minded country girl. I only pity dear Georgiana when Pemberley's legacy gets dragged through the mud and the Darcy name gets sullied along with it!" Caroline's ugly bout of laughter as she finished speaking silenced Lydia from any further rebuttal.

"Miss Bingley, that is quite enough!" a deep voice was heard, and Caroline visibly deflated, paling at the realization that she had thrown such a fit before the Viscount himself.

"If we cannot hold a civil conversation I suggest we go our separate ways," he said, this time addressing Lydia as well.

The deathly silence following his interruption was nothing but awkward, and it became even more so when Mr Bingley attempted to make his voice heard while his sister fumed beside him.

"Miss Jane," he said quietly and then, clearing his throat, continued, "I was, well, I was hoping," he stuttered as he turned to face Jane who still hadn't the slightest idea how to react besides stepping a fraction of an inch closer to the Viscount who seemed both surprised and puzzled at the reason for such an encounter.

"I was hoping we may renew our acquaintance, Miss Jane," Mr Bingley finally forced out as his eyes dropped to the ground.

Jane, who had been quiet throughout the encounter now found several pairs of eyes gazing at her intently. Caroline, who had been too angry to pay attention to their discourse looked between the two in confusion, hoping she had misheard her brother's words.

 _I, I don't know. Why did he have to ask me in front of everyone?_ Jane thought frantically.

 _What would Lizzy do? What would she say? Oh dear. I don't love him. I couldn't ever love him. I, oh dear!_

It was at that precise and rather frantic moment that, despite her jumbled thoughts and her uncertainty, she knew where her heart lay.

Mr Bingley and Mr Reeding for some strange, unidentifiable reason seemed far too similar.

Their manners, though cheerful, felt entirely superficial – a façade. And to genuine, tender-hearted Jane, this meant only confusion and uncertainty. She needed to be more than merely an object to be shown off for her beauty. She needed more than to be left confused at a man's intentions. She needed someone who was steadfast, honest and didn't hide his feelings. And only one man in her acquaintance fit that description.

Without thinking, Jane's face suddenly broke into a dazzling smile, and Mr Bingley, who had been waiting expectantly for a reply, seemed to lighten up as well.

"I am sorry Mr Bingley, but now is just not the right time, nor do I think it ever will be. What my mother said to you was incredibly presumptuous, and for that I apologize sincerely," Jane had finally found the strength to make her thoughts known once more and with each word it felt as though a weight was being lifted from her shoulders.

"But, I had been so sure, Mrs Bennet had – " Mr Bingley began, seemingly refusing to lose hope, and was instantly cut off by Lydia.

"I'm quite sure I just heard my sister object to my mother's words, Mr Bingley, and I honestly do not understand your insistence that my mother, of all people, knows more of my sister's feelings than my sister herself," she said in a no-nonsense tone, once more butting in with her well-meant, yet rather indecently executed defense of her sister.

"So for your own sake, I suggest you respect her wishes and take yourself and your sister someplace else. I have no patience for people who cannot seem to understand even the simplest English, _honestly_!" Lydia's sassiness instantly horrified Jane and left Kitty in awe.

Thankfully, Caroline would have no more of it and, with yet another angry huff she grabbed her brother by the sleeve and dragged him past the group, curtseying only for the Viscount's benefit.

"Come, Charles, I refuse to let you associate with such disrespectful people again!"

* * *

"Lydia, that was unnecessary! You really shouldn't speak to Mr Bingley or his sister, in such a manner!" Jane said in embarrassment as the Bingleys disappeared behind a few barren trees, and her aunt and Mary hurried past them with curiosity etched on their faces.

"I was only trying to help, you know! 'Thank you' would be a more appropriate reaction!" Lydia countered, but Jane refused to answer.

Together the group made their way back in relative silence. The Viscount saying very little besides bidding them farewell and promising to see them once more the following evening.

* * *

In the aftermath of her new-found decisiveness, Jane spent much of the evening mulling over every interaction between herself and the Viscount, and chiding herself for not realizing sooner that she had been falling for him all along. All the small moments where she had reached out for his hand or smiled when he entered the room now came flooding back into her mind, distracting her from absolutely everything and everyone, and bringing endless amusement to Kitty throughout dinner that evening.

She would have to find a way to tell him, but the thought of making her feelings known to a man, even though she had been reassured he felt the same, terrified her.

Somehow she would have to inform Mr Reeding as well. He had been so attentive and kind she could not dream of stringing him along.

 _No, the very next time I see him I will find a way to tell him we can only ever be friends._

This resolution kept Jane awake late into the night, the prospect of hurting someone's feelings filling the dark hours with anxious thoughts, and it was only as the clock struck four that she finally succumbed to a troubled, yet somehow happy, sleep.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **EDIT:** A Guest reviewer brought a very valid point about the interaction between Lydia and Caroline to my attention, and I have since changed parts of their dialogue to be slightly more realistic. Thank you to the anonymous reviewer who pointed it out, I do my best to take in account the suggestions people make, and in this case yours was definitely well-founded.

Oh gosh, I really have been horrible with writing and updating lately, I am so, so sorry!

 **AND TO ALL THE JANE/VISCOUNT SHIPPERS, TADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!** Jane has FINALLY made up her mind! xD Jane and the Viscount, like Lizzy and Darcy, are MADE for each other! I couldn't keep them apart even if I tried! I wonder how pleased Lady C is going to be to finds out her favourite nephew has fallen for a Bennet too!

ALSO,

Before I address the reviews, I just wanted to chat about something else. I know this story has been going on, and on, and on, for quite a while, and that's led some of the readers to wonder when it's going to wrap up or end. If I ever do publish, I will obviously condense the story, and summarise it to be more concise, coherent, and engaging, but I didn't start writing because I wanted to actually write a novel, I started writing for 2 reasons – (1) to curb my addiction to reading P&P fanfiction (and yes, it really has worked!), and (2) to explore the ideas, scenes, and relationships I always wished JA had written about.

If you're here for a novel-like rewrite of P&P I'm afraid you're in the wrong place. There's not much of a plot, to be honest (no DISTINCTIVE climax, no extreme angst), but rather several sub-plots (I think I can call it that) and a bunch of jumbled up story lines. I'm not the greatest writer ever, I just simply had a few ideas and felt like writing them. So if you're looking for a short, satisfying read, I'm afraid you'll have to go look around the LITERALLY thousands of other fanfiction stories written for this specific book. However, if you're happy with reading what I expect is going to be another 20 chapters at least of my rambling and daydreaming, then I am really, really happy you've made it this far! I'm doing my best to keep things interesting, and I rather like the way the story is going so far, so I don't plan on quitting.

 **TiaMaria710 –** Ah yes! Lizzy and Lydia seem to be experts at telling people off. AND (!) I'm sooo impressed that you caught my reference to London just being another card game to Lydia!

 **NotACursedChild –** Welcome to the story! xD

 **EmlynMara –** I like the Lizzy/Anne dynamic too! It's basically there to explore the way people of different classes aren't TOTALLY different from each other!

 **Zafira17 –** Hope the note Lydia found didn't disappoint! Any idea what Lydia is planning? Oh and I love binge reading fanfiction (which is sort of why I started this story – so I could STOP binge reading fanfiction xD) Thank you so, so much for your super nice review, too!

 **Liysyl –** Yes, Lydia is becoming quite an intriguing I-can't-decide-whether-I-love-her-or-hate-her character! xD And Lizzy is quite the thorn in Mr Collins' side, and I'm afraid once Darcy arrives the parson is going to have a lot more to deal with

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** oh wow there's so much to talk about in your review! I really love reading long reviews – it's so interesting to see how the story is perceived by other people too! Lydia is smart, but you are right when you say she lacks common sense. I'm trying to stay as true to the actions of a 16 year old girl who has lots of street smarts, but doesn't quite understand the adult world yet, or that her actions can have devastating consequences. Just as I'm trying to true to the teenager who loves her family, but still sometimes hates them too, persona I thought fits her best. Truth is teenagers can love their parents and their families, but still be major asses too! (I'm speaking from experience here xD) I was a lot like Mary when I was in highschool – always studying, no time for fun, and I really regret it now. I missed out on loads of awesome experiences because I thought getting straight As was all that mattered in my life. It's funny I actually think I wrote a lot of my own personality into each of the sisters which is normal for writers to do, I think! Hahaha yes I loved having Lizzy pretend to take a snooze during his sermon! It's exactly the passive aggressive theing I would expect her to do! Mr Collins is a bit of an unaware idiot, but hopefully someone will get him to realize he's not as perfect as he thinks he is! And I totally agree with your thoughts on Anne Darcy. She was a product of wealth, and high society, even though she was kind and genuine. Lizzy, although she exhibits many of the same qualities, has an entirely different background and will bring an entirely different 'flavour' (can I call it that?) to Pemberley. I hope you enjoyed the awkward Mr Bingley and annoying Caro in this chapter. I'm sure they'll make a reappearance at some point again! And AT LAST! JANE HAS MADE UP HER MIND! Hallelujah! Hmm I have to say Simon Woods really took the cake with his overly coiffed hair and rather annoying inability to SAY, DO, or DECIDE anything. xD And trust me, if Chris Pine had played Mr Bingley in ANY P&P production, Jane's fate would have been so, so, so different! I mean it's CHRIS PINE! Also, come to think of it, who would you imagine could play the Viscount? If I had my pick it would probably be Theo James. (I am SUCH a rambler as well! xD) Thank you for always sharing your insight into each chapter! I always look forward to reading your review!

 **Tfranco9 –** I'm soooo happy Darcy's coming back too! And I'm really happy I made Lydia even slightly more likeable. I mean she can still be a bit of an annoying twat, but she's getting better! xD Hope you're happy that Jane finally found her voice, and her decision! I'll definitely try have Georgi and Kitty interact more! I really like them a lot too!

 **Mangosmum –** Lady Catherine has been rather devious lately! And I'm glad Lydia is keeping us all on our toes just a bit!

 **Deanna27 –** Haha yes I loved the sleeping in the sermon bit too! And Anne is really fun to write as well! She's a bit snobby, and entitled, but still friendly, and thank goodness she has a sense of humour!

 **HarnGin –** yay! I'm so glad I got Lady Trudy right! Your idea of Lady Catherine's devious plan is spot on! I'm afraid no mail will be reaching Lizzy at all, which should make for an interesting exchange between Darcy and his aunt once he arrives! Mr Collins, ever the most wonderful, voluptuous, grand Lady Catherine's humble servant does whatever she tells him too and I'm afraid it's going to land him in hot water soon, too!

 **AmyCampbell –** hopefully Jane's newfound decisiveness has made up for her previous insecurity. She's still the same old Jane, but hopefully now she'll be able to make her voice heard a bit more often.


	39. An Interlude

Not a word was said on the carriage ride home. Mary and her aunt, having stopped to view a rather unusual looking tree along their walk had caught only the last part of Lydia's exchange with the Bingleys and, as much as it frustrated Marianne Gardiner, she knew something would have to be done to curb the girl's sharp tongue and decided lack of tact.

It was with this single purpose in mind that Mrs Gardiner called Lydia to her husband's office, having hurried to it herself only a quarter of an hour earlier.

"Lydia, dear, do come in," she said as the girl stood in the doorway, quite obviously puzzled at the reason behind her summons.

Motioning for her to take a seat, Mrs Gardiner continued, "I heard part of your discourse with Miss Bingley today, and I wanted to know why you felt it necessary to address her in such a manner?" her voice remained steady and free of anger.

"She was being insufferable!" Lydia exclaimed, "And Jane has absolutely no ability to stand up for herself whatsoever, so I did it for her. I ought to be thanked for if I hadn't intervened Jane would have left Hyde Park either in tears or engaged to Mr Bingley!" the girl's voice grew louder with every sentence.

Trying to maintain some sense of calm, Mrs Gardiner interrupted, "Lydia, dear, please do not shout, I am merely trying to understand the reason for your behaviour."

"The reason? Why it's simply because both the Bingleys are complete and utter idiots, and I have had enough of every man and woman in London thinking the world belongs to them!"

"You do understand that insulting them has made no difference to the way the people of the ton will act, do you not?" Mr Gardiner interrupted, no longer willing to remain silent as the young girl grew visibly angrier.

"It doesn't matter. I know had I not said what I did it would all have ended very poorly for Jane."

"But can't you see that it _has_ ended poorly for her as a result of your actions? You behaved irrationally in front of not only Viscount Fitzwilliam, but who is to say other passersby did not overhear your words in the same manner I did? What you do not seem to understand is that however unfair it may feel, a woman's reputation and good standing, once lost, is gone forever."

"But that is beside the point, aunt!" Lydia sighed in exasperation.

"No, that is exactly the point, Lydia," her uncle's voice filled the room and silenced her immediately, "Your words, your actions, your behaviour affects your sisters as much as it affects you. I'm afraid until you learn to understand that, you will no longer be attending any public social events, besides perhaps the theatre when I deem fit."

"What?" the girl cried in disbelief, "But I was so looking forward to the dance tomorrow! I've already promised the Duke my first set! You cannot, you _just_ can't forbid me from going!" she said frantically, angry tears beginning to fall down her face.

"I am truly sorry it has to be this way, Lydia, but I cannot in good conscience allow you to attend until you have learned to behave properly and understand that your behaviour has a direct reflection upon your sisters and the rest of your family," Edward said in a no-nonsense tone that seemed to take all the wind out of Lydia's sails.

"My girl, we are not angry with you, we only want what's best for you and your sisters and I'm afraid you are simply not ready to be out in society yet," her aunt chimed in trying to soften the blow.

"This is all just so incredibly unfair!" Lydia cried once more, "You are not my father nor my mother, so why do you have any right to tell me what I can and cannot do!"

"I may not be your father, but you are living under my roof and as long as you are here I am in charge of your wellbeing and safety. I'm afraid your actions are detrimental to both those things and I have no further desire to argue over this," her uncle concluded, his stern voice making it obvious no amount of accusations or questions would change his mind.

"If you wish to treat me like an imbecilic child, then so be it!" the girl shrieked, stomping out of the room and slamming the door behind her.

Catching sight of Jane making her way up the flight of stairs, Lydia couldn't help but call out, "This is _all_ your fault!" before rushing into her room as the door swung shut with a bang once more.

* * *

Jane, who hadn't had the slightest idea what her sister was talking about worriedly made her way to her uncle's study. Knocking lightly on the door, she opened it to find her aunt seated on a chair opposite her uncle, both wearing rather unhappy expressions.

"Lydia seems to be in quite a state," Jane whispered, hoping someone would be able to provide her with the reason for her sister's outburst.

"Unfortunately we have decided Lydia is not quite ready for London society yet," her uncle said distractedly, his focus completely absorbed by the letter before him.

"If it was because of her behaviour at the park, I should apologize as well. I should never have let it go so far," Jane said quietly, her shame evident upon her face.

"No, my dear, it has been quite some time that I have felt uncomfortable with Lydia's behaviour in public. She seems far too thoughtless with her words and, although I admire her ability to stand up for herself, she has overdone it several times. Besides, I do not like the fact that she is on such familiar terms with the Duke of Avondale who is not only ten years her senior, but has had several rumours linked to him over the years," her aunt said with a sigh.

Standing up from her seat, and placing a quick kiss on the top of her husband's head, Mrs Gardiner stepped out of the room after Jane, and the two women made their way to the small parlour set aside for the mistress of the house's use alone.

"I sense there is more on your mind," Mrs Gardiner said with a small smile as they walked, "Perhaps I can be of assistance?"

"Lady Matlock informed me, on the night we visited the opera, that Viscount Fitzwilliam has – _uhm_ – he has," Jane paused, her cheeks suddenly turning very red.

"He has taken quite a liking to you?" her aunt finished for her, her smile brightening as Jane nodded.

"And what about your Mr Reeding?" her aunt inquired, making her way over to a large couch set near the small fireplace.

"That is my dilemma," Jane said as she took a seat, "I am fearful that Mr Reeding and Mr Bingley are too similar. Whenever Mr Bingley used to compliment me it would only ever be in regards to my appearance, and it has been precisely the same with Mr Reeding. I do not simply want to be a pretty face, aunt," she continued, turning to face Marianne with uncertainty in her eyes.

"I know all too many people think I only care about dresses and merry fun, but I am trying desperately to be more than that. And the Viscount, for all my shortcomings, seems to see past my quiet nature. When we converse we do not merely speak of the weather or the day's gossip. We speak of things that matter," the girl ended, twisting a piece of her dress in her hands.

"Well then it seems you have already decided," her aunt said, patting her hand, "But if I can provide you with even the slightest bit of wisdom, I would say wait. You hurried into a relationship with Mr Bingley and it ended poorly. Do not make the same mistake with the Viscount. Wait - speak to him, but wait. Develop a friendship before all else, and you will find that, in time, out of friendship will emerge a love that is far stronger than you could ever have asked for. You are still young, Jane, and no one is hurrying you along the road to marriage, so take as much time as you need to be entirely sure."

Jane's only reply was a small smile and a nod.

"But what of Mr Reeding? I do not want to hurt him and I fear if I do not say something soon he may be hurt unnecessarily," she asked, her worried expression returning.

"Then speak to him as well. Simply make it clear that you can only ever be friends. If he truly cares for you he will understand," her aunt said with a smile as she arose, "But for now, I must see that everything is prepared for dinner. Mr Ferrars ought to arrive within the hour."

And with that Mrs Gardiner disappeared out of the parlour and Jane made her way to the drawing room, following the sound of the pianoforte down the stairs and along the short hallway.

* * *

Although the doctor seemed rather shy, his genuineness and obvious admiration for Mary made him an instant favourite amongst the Gardiners.

As was usual, the Gardiner children dined with the adults, and Mr Ferrars' stories of late night calls to help the ill, whether in the middle of summer or an icy snowstorm, fascinated everyone around the table, except for Lydia and Jane, the former who could be seen rolling her eyes several times during the meal, and the latter entirely absorbed in her own thoughts.

* * *

The group had only just begun making their way to the drawing room when Lydia, without a word to her sisters, cousins, or aunt and uncle (both of whom she had refused to speak to all evening), hurried to her room. She was in no mood for company, especially not the ungrateful, selfish, pompous group at that moment gathering around the fireplace downstairs.

She would not be told what she can and cannot do, and she would most certainly not allow anyone to hinder her plans. She would simply need to find a way to work around the restrictions placed upon her and that promised to be a delightful challenge.

* * *

The children having been taken to bed, Mr Ferrars found himself with an eager audience for more of his stories but, although he found the attention simultaneously gratifying and terrifying, he turned the conversation in the direction her desired.

"I was invited to visit the home of an old friend of my father's, a Mr Chesterson. He was my mentor for many years as he himself was a doctor until only a few months ago. He has been looking for a physician to replace him here in London, and has offered me the position. He has no children, and was never married, but he has insisted that should I accept, his home would be ours – I mean mine," he said, glancing at Mary as his face reddened with embarrassment, "to make use of as he plans to move to the countryside to reside with his elder sister who recently lost her husband. I would be serving a community of more than a thousand people."

"Oh, what a generous offer!" Mrs Gardiner exclaimed in delight. She had no knowledge of Mary and Mr Ferrars' engagement, but she was pleased that should they become engaged _someday_ her niece would have a home of her own, and in London nonetheless.

"And your business prospects would certainly be admirable," Mr Gardiner commented, pleased to see a smile on Mary's face as she processed the news.

"Precisely! I have much to consider before making my decision," he added, his gaze falling upon Mary once more, "but I am immensely pleased with the prospects."

Mary, who had very few requirements when it came to her lifestyle or home, and who understood Simon would not make a decision without consulting her first, decided to simplify the matter by simply saying, "Mr Chesterson is certainly a generous man and, as London is a focal point for developments in science, I cannot advise you strongly enough to accept!"

The secret smile shared by Mary and Mr Ferrars as she finished speaking was noticed by almost all in the room, and both Mr and Mrs Gardiner felt pleasantly surprised by such a display of camaraderie and veiled affection from their usually stoic niece.

* * *

The remainder of the evening was spent pleasantly, with no one commenting on Lydia's abrupt departure, and everyone finding relief in the knowledge that no one would be making inappropriate comments or insulting the friendly, if slightly boring, Mr Ferrars.

Kitty, having begun to doze off nearly as soon as the doctor began speaking, had at last removed herself to a corner of the room and proceeded to work on the sketches she had begun earlier that day.

Thus the party remained late into the night, and all found themselves falling asleep as soon as their heads touched their pillows - all except Jane, of course.

* * *

 _Tuesday, February 11_ _th_ _, 1812_

It had been five days since Fitzwilliam's last letter, and what had begun as an uneasy feeling now felt like a knot twisting about Elizabeth's stomach. He had never missed as many days as this, and she was left desperately attempting to allay the fears that something dreadful had happened at Pemberley.

 _You are being silly, Elizabeth. Fitzwilliam is a grown man and has cared for himself for far longer than you have known him. Nothing has happened,_ she sternly told herself as she sat staring out of the drawing room window, her cousin neck-deep in yet another lecture on the proper behaviour of a young woman in society. His words merely flew past her and out into the cold morning air.

 _Yes, but what if he has fallen ill? Or something dreadful has happened to the estate? I ought to be by his side,_ her mind would allow her no respite.

"Cousin, **cousin!** " an annoyingly shrill voice pierced her gloomy trance, "Have you at all listened to anything I've said these past few minutes?" said Mr Collins, waiting expectantly for the answer he was sure she could not give.

In all honesty, Elizabeth hadn't the slightest idea what her cousin had been blabbering on about, but she could warrant a guess.

"Yes of course, Mr Collins," she said earnestly, "Young women should always respect their elders, and know their place in society. It is never right for an unmarried woman to voice her opinions against those more experienced than herself, is it?"

"Precisely!" the man exclaimed, excited by the thought that he was finally getting through to the stubborn woman. Unbeknownst to him, he spent the succeeding quarter of an hour speaking, as it were, to an empty room. Elizabeth's mind was far away, on an estate in Derbyshire, fervently praying nothing unfortunate had occurred to a certain gentleman who resided there.

* * *

Having escaped her cousin's preaching after being twice more required to summarise what he had said, and failing to do so correctly only once, Elizabeth withdrew to her bedroom where she picked up the edition of _Hamlet_ Mr Darcy had gifted her with at Christmas and, although she knew the story from beginning to end (and perhaps even backward, as Kitty would insist), she opened it at the first chapter and began reading once more.

Having reached the point where Hamlet informs the king of Polonius' whereabouts, Elizabeth's eyes fell shut and the book slipped from her hands, quietly tumbling on to the bed. Charlotte and Maria had decided to walk to the small town of Hunsford but Elizabeth's overactive mind, and constant worrying over Fitzwilliam, left her in no mood for company or outings and so she had decided to spend her day at home.

Now she slumbered, oblivious to the world around her, and remained so for another hour before the sound of the two sisters returning home drew her from her sleep.

* * *

Soon she was seated beside Charlotte with a cup of hot tea in her hand and a distracted smile on her face. She knew she wouldn't be able to remain so gloomy for the rest of the day and so, with renewed energy she forced herself to pay attention to Maria's recount of the town and all the kind people they had met there.

It was at that very moment that Mr Collins hurried into the room, a beaming smile upon his face.

"My dear, I have the most wonderful news!" he said hurrying towards Charlotte and taking one of her hands in his own.

Without waiting for any eager inquiries as to what his news may entail, the man continued, "I have just received this note from Rosings, inviting us to dine with Lady Catherine once more tomorrow evening! How kind of her, especially after the way she was treated last time!"

"That's lovely dear," Charlotte said in a placid voice, patting her husband's hand as he sat beaming beside her.

"I suppose we shall have to see to our attire for the outing then, girls," she continued, looking over at Maria who seemed rather intimidated by the idea of returning for yet another silently awkward dinner, and Elizabeth who seemed entirely disinterested in that self-same idea.

"Oh, I'm afraid Miss Elizabeth has not been included in the invitation!" Mr Collins interrupted, his rather obvious smile contradicting his overworked sorrowful tone.

"You must be mistaken!" Charlotte exclaimed, taking the note from his hands and reading it herself.

"Good heavens, she really had the gall not to invite you Lizzy!" the woman whispered disbelievingly, as her husband listened in horror at the way his wife spoke of his beloved mistress.

"Now, Charlotte!" he interrupted as Lizzy gave a small shrug and a sigh, "I shan't have you speak of our benevolent benefactor in such a manner! She has been nothing but good to us!" his voice had become high pitched and strangled once more, which Lizzy had learned meant he was most displeased.

"Do not feel insulted for my sake, Charlotte dear, I have very little desire to attend such an event ever again!" Elizabeth said with a smile, although she still couldn't help but feel insulted by the way in which she had been slighted.

"Are you entirely certain of it, Lizzy? I will remain at home with you if you wish me to," Charlotte stated firmly, ignoring her husband's subsequent outburst and insistence that she 'would do no such thing.'

"Of course, I shall be perfectly content remaining home and perhaps getting some more reading done," Lizzy reassured her friend, later whispering, "I shan't give her the satisfaction of believing she has unnerved me in any way," to her friend as Mr Collins rushed to his study to reply to 'the most gracious invitation' Lady Catherine had extended.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **EDIT: Thank you Mangosmum for noticing my mistake! Charlotte and Maria walked to Hunsford, not Lambton! I have no idea why I switched them!**

Oooooooh, so much happened in this chapter! Someone at last decided to speak to Lydia although I don't know if Mr and Mrs G's words will make much impact…

And don't you just LOVE the interactions between Lizzy and Mr Collins. I always find them so fun to write! xD

 **Writingnerd291 –** hope this update was worth it! And thanks for reading!

 **Leslie E -** Thanks! I really like exploring the sisters' personalities as they are all so unique!

 **NotACursedChild –** hahaha I love your reactions to each chapter! Honestly, your reviews are so fun to read! Thanks for being so cool!

 **AmyCampbell –** I agree that the Viscount deserves some happiness, and there's still a few things we haven't learned about him that will be revealed soon enough! And yes, Lydia is definitely a bit of a bull in a china shop! She's going through a lot of changes, but let's hope being kept at home will help her learn not to be so blunt. I've got a bit of the Colonel's POV coming up soon, but there's a specific chapter where I want to use it so keep your eyes open! And thank you for always reviewing! I really appreciate it soooo much!

 **TLeighF –** Yes she did go a bit over the top, but hopefully she'll learn her lesson while stuck at home. (HAHAHAHAHAHA, not.)

 **KurukiXV –** The Lizzy/Darcy reunion is coming super, super soon! ;)

 **Dameraven-** Well if Lydia didn't realize her behaviour was wrong, at least her aunt did. I wonder how she's going to react to practically being 'grounded'. She has really become a bit much for the town and needed to be taken in hand.

 **AlreadyBroken –** I agree that Jane should take her time (even now that she's made her choice). Since her nature is to just take everything as it is, it will be good for her to be more cautious as she continues to build a friendship with the Viscount above all else. And of course, Lydia has to be over the top as always. Hopefully her staying at home for a while will help her mellow out.

 **Deanna27 –** Hahaha the Bennets are definitely taking over the Darcy and Fitzwilliam families. Poor lady Catherine is going to have a fit and a half! xD I really like the fact that Lydia stood up against the Bingleys, but unfortunately, the Gardiners are a bit more level-headed than I am. I would have rewarded her for her actions if I'd been around in the P&P universe.

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** Yay! Another awesome review! I was worried Mr Bingley would ruin the possibility of a Jane/Viscount pairing too! Thankfully that didn't happen! Margaret is so, so, so much fun to write. She's like a pocket-sized adult, taking everything so seriously, and the witty things she says always crack me up. Lydia is a bit confused as to what she should and should not be doing/saying. She wants to stand up for her sisters but she's also very forthright and blunt by nature which is not a good combination for surviving in Regency London. And I am soooo looking forward to Lady C finding out her favourite has also fallen for a Bennet. She's going to feel like she's surrounded! xD Josh Hutcherson's appearance is exactly what I would imagine Mr Bingley looked like, but you're right that the personalities wouldn't match! Hahaha I used to read about one P&P fanfic every day, skimming over the boring parts at least! xD I haven't read A SINGLE fic since starting to write! Mostly because I don't want what I'm reading to influence what I'm writing. Oh and I absolutely LOVE Jenna Malone as Lydia! She was perfect! And of course in the Hunger Games too. And YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS Alexandra Dowling would make a PERFECT Jane! I absolutely LOVED her as Queen Anne in the Musketeers! I actually like ALL the actors/actresses cast in the show but Queen Anne and Aramis were just perfect for their roles and for each other. Your ideas for casting are so spot on!

 **Tfranco9 –** Hahahaha I love that you love the story! Thank you for being such a kickass reviewer/encourager! Sorry there weren't any Lizzy/Darcy moments in this chapter but just hold out for a little while longer! I promise it will be worth it!

 **Mangosmum –** Hahaha I honestly couldn't improve Lydia much even if I tried! Lydia is just Lydia. We can't worry too much about prevention, just damage control when she's involved.

 **Lavernjones –** Lydia has to learn that her actions have consequences, and let's hope being kept from balls and parties will get the point across. Caroline has still not gotten all she deserves. The best is yet to come!

 **EmlynMara –** Lydia does need a little bit of a reality check, I agree. The Viscount may have misunderstood, but I doubt it. He ought to be smart enough to realize Jane was as uncomfortable with the conversation as he was.

 **Liysyl –** Always a pleasure to write when so many awesome people review! xD

 **HarnGin –** YES! xD

 **Lily –** Darcy is en route to Kent, so soon!

 **Nancieellen –** I really love writing Margaret into the story! She is such a joy!

To all the **GUESTS** that reviewed, thank you so much! I would love to reply to your comments personally but it's a bit weird writing "Guest who…" so you know who I'm talking about. If you don't want to sign up to FF maybe just use a weird letter/number sequence at the start/end of your review – like XX or ABC or something so I have some way of replying to you in a way that you KNOW I'm replying to your comment! xD

Thank you all for being such awesomely supportive people!


	40. Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Finding herself entirely alone, Charlotte and Maria having gone off to decide on the dresses they would wear, Lizzy glanced longingly outside. It was only just past noon, and the day still promised several more hours of sunshine.

Making up her mind, she arose with purpose and, calling out to Charlotte that she would be gone for a few hours, collected _Hamlet_ from her room, pulled on her bonnet and pelisse, and set off in search of someplace altogether more peaceful than any room in the rather cramped parsonage.

Wandering along the road towards Rosings, knowing it led past several copses of trees entirely suitable for her plans, she found the sunshine and chirping birds relieve her of many her worries.

 _I shan't have to spend all that much time with Lady Catherine for the remainder of my visit, it seems, and I am most certainly not despairing at the fact,_ she mused as she strolled along, in a hurry nowhere and thoroughly enjoying the stillness of the country lane.

Making her way across a barren field towards a relatively small group of equally barren trees, Elizabeth soon became aware of the rapid beating of hooves approaching from the direction of Rosings and, assuming it was merely a tenant or one of Lady Catherine's staff, she gazed along the road, pulling her bonnet lower to counteract the bright sunlight impeding her vision.

Climbing up a grassy knoll, Elizabeth could see quite far along the road, and soon made out the figure of a man upon a slowly cantering horse. For a split second she wondered if it could possibly be Fitzwilliam but, remembering what had occurred the last time she had wished it was him, she shook her head with a laugh.

Chiding herself for her silly behaviour the woman made her way closer to the side of the field nearest to the road, her curiosity now having gotten the better of her. She had just reached the very border of the path when the horse and its rider rounded a bend in the road, and Elizabeth dropped everything she had been carrying, _Hamlet_ included.

 _It can't be!_ her mind insisted as she suddenly felt light-headed and reached towards the wooden fence to steady herself.

The horse's rider had seemingly realized the very same thing as Lizzy because poor Achilles suddenly came to an abrupt, grinding halt as his rider nearly leaped from his saddle and then very much _leaped_ over the fence.

"Fitzwilliam!" Lizzy shrieked as she flew into his arms, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks as she buried her face in his chest, incapable of speaking.

"Oh Lizzy, how I have missed you!" he replied, his arms tightening around her shoulders as he pulled her as close to him as possible.

For a minute or two they remained this way, neither able nor willing to move. Then, seeking to find some reassurance that he was really there, she was really in his arms once more, Elizabeth pulled back a fraction of an inch and, lifting her face to the one smiling down at her with suspiciously glimmering eyes, she reached out her hand and drew his lips to hers.

That first kiss, the kiss of lovers at last reunited, tasted of salt and leather and was sweetly shared between two souls who had, at last, realized they were incomplete without the other.

Pulling away, Darcy cupped Elizabeth's face in his hands and proceeded to cover every inch of her face in kisses, from her forehead, to her eyes, to her cheeks, and her chin.

"I," he said, placing a kiss upon her nose, "am," he moved to her right cheek, "never – leaving – you – again," with each word he moved his lips to a different spot, as she giggled at his serious tone.

* * *

The pair would have remained beside the road until evening had it not been for the sound of a wagon interrupting their embrace and so, with Darcy quickly grabbing Elizabeth's hand and pulling her towards the trees, they collected her fallen belongings and hurried out of sight.

Stepping into a secluded clearing within the copse of trees, Fitzwilliam placed the books and Elizabeth's bonnet, which he had removed from her head almost as soon as she had kissed him, on an old tree stump and turned once more to face his fiancée.

Suddenly Elizabeth noticed the dark circles around his eyes and, stepping forward on her toes, she ran her thumbs along the marks, her hands cupping his face as gently as she could manage.

"You haven't been sleeping," she murmured, letting her hands fall into his waiting ones.

"There were far more complications in my work than I expected, and without seeing you at least once a day I fear I spent most nights awake, wishing I had never left you at Longbourn."

"But you are here now, that is all that matters," Elizabeth countered with a happy smile, her worries from earlier that day now seeming miles away.

"Yes, I received a letter from my aunt that made me realize I could not leave you here and expect you to manage her all alone. It was foolish of me not to have warned you more thoroughly about her temperament, and for that I must apologize," Darcy murmured, drawing Elizabeth's hands to his lips and placing kisses on each.

"I have managed, my love," she whispered, stepping closer to her fiancé, "and besides, I have no desire to spend my first few moments alone with my betrothed in what feels like years speaking of anything unpleasant."

With his usual, sly smile which perfectly showcased the dimples Elizabeth had longed to see for such ages, he leaned forward and quietly said, "Yes, I can think of far more pleasant things to do," and with that he pulled her against him and lowered his lips to hers once more.

This kiss, unlike the first, was anything but sweet. It was hungry, greedy, frantic. Almost as soon as Fitzwilliam's tongue ran over her lower lip, Elizabeth melted into his embrace and felt herself lowering every barrier, surrendering herself to his mercy entirely.

Slowly sliding his hands towards her hips, Fitzwilliam lifted Elizabeth off the ground, and immediately her legs wrapped around his waist, all thought of propriety thrown to the dogs.

Her hands entangled in his hair, her lips refusing to leave his, Elizabeth felt the fire within her burn all the brighter, and although her mind was telling her to stop, to breathe, to slow down before they went too far, her body would hear none of it.

Panting, Fitzwilliam, at last, moved his lips away from hers, this time choosing to trail burning kisses down her throat and along the exposed part of her shoulder. His hands, which had at first innocently encircled her waist, now supported Elizabeth's weight by wrapping around her bum but neither of the two could find it in them to object.

Consciously slowing his actions, aware that they had done more than simply skirt the boundaries of propriety this time, Fitzwilliam at last released Elizabeth from his grip, and smiled down at her as she slid to her feet.

"I cannot tell you how painfully I have longed to kiss you and hold you close, my dearest Elizabeth, but if I, if I made you uncomfortable - " he whispered, still slightly out of breath.

"You need not say a word, Fitzwilliam," Lizzy interrupted his apology, placing a light kiss on the corner of his mouth, "for I have felt that same longing ever since we parted."

Seeing his expression still seemed worried, Elizabeth placed one hand on his cheek and another on his chest, saying, "I made no objection to your actions, because I had none. I know we must put limitations on our actions for now, but do not assume for one instant that you could ever make me uncomfortable."

"I just do not want to push you to do anything you wouldn't want," he countered, although his expression had lightened slightly.

"If you think that is a possibility you obviously know very little about me! When have I _ever_ done _anything_ I absolutely did not want to do?" Lizzy asked with a grin, seeing her fiancé's smile return once more.

"Never," he said simply, placing a kiss on her forehead and drawing her over to the old tree stump.

Taking a seat, Fitzwilliam pulled Lizzy onto his lap, "I heard you made quite a name for yourself in London," he said with a smile, burying his face in her hair as she leaned against his chest.

"I don't know whether that is a positive, or negative, statement, but then again it _is_ London. What is good for some is terrible for others!" she replied with a sigh, lifting one of Fitzwilliam's hands in both her own and drawing imaginary circles across his palm.

"My uncle and aunt have written with nothing but praise and admiration for the manner in which you dealt with the ton," he paused as Lizzy's smile widened ever so slightly, "I am so incredibly proud of you, Elizabeth."

"I would not have survived had it not been for your aunt," she replied, turning to face him and brushing a lock of hair from his forehead.

"Nonsense! I have it on unquestionable authority that you managed a few of those so-called gentlemen, and quite a few ladies too, entirely on your own," Fitzwilliam grinned.

"And whose authority may that be?" Lizzy asked cheekily, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

"Yours, of course!" Fitzwilliam said simply, his steady gaze suddenly bringing a blush to Lizzy's cheeks. He immediately let out a light laugh, "I can't tell you how much I have missed making you blush."

"That is entirely unfair, Fitzwilliam," Lizzy countered in a mock-annoyed tone, "I cannot help the fact that women seem to blush twice as often as men!" she giggled as he suddenly peppered her with kisses once more.

"And what have you been occupying yourself with here at Hunsford, besides giving my aunt some of her own medicine, and apparently reading Hamlet once more?" he asked as he ended his onslaught of affection, glancing to where the book lay beside them.

"Oh, I have been a most studious learner of my cousins many long, and droning lessons, although I do not think he appreciates my method of studying, that is to say taking a nap while he speaks and then somehow guessing precisely what he had said while I sat sleeping or daydreaming," she replied with a laugh, her heart feeling light for the first time in weeks.

"And what is it you have been daydreaming about? I hope I featured in some of these imaginings," Fitzwilliam said with a cheeky grin.

"Have you learned nothing of being a true gentleman, Fitzwilliam?" Lizzy exclaimed in a disapproving tone, standing up from his lap and turning to face him with both hands on her hips, "A gentleman never asks a lady to reveal her most precious secrets!" she giggled, knowing full well that this would only make her fiancé even more curious.

"Now, Lizzy, do you want me to force a confession from you?" he countered in an equally serious tone, though the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth suggested he felt otherwise.

"You wouldn't dare!" she squealed as Fitzwilliam's hands suddenly snaked around her waist just as she spun away from him, preventing her from running off as she had planned.

"Try me!" he whispered in her ear as he pulled her against him and lifted her from the ground.

"William!" she yelled, laughing as he refused to set her down, "I can't! I can't breathe!" she cried, her bubbling laughter now bringing tears to her eyes.

At last letting her slide to her feet, he spun her around and pulled her into his embrace once again, "Now you simply must tell me," he said, grinning at his merry captive as she gazed up at him.

"Very well, I was simply worried about your wellbeing. You hadn't written for nearly a week and I'm afraid my imagination ran away with me. I kept thinking you may be ill, or the estate may be in trouble, and more than anything I simply wished I had been at Pemberley with you," she said, a slight seriousness returning to her tone.

"That cannot be right!" Fitzwilliam exclaimed, clearly puzzled at her words, "I sent an express to the parsonage on Friday afternoon! My letter ought to have arrived on Saturday evening at the latest," he said thoughtfully.

"Well, no such letter arrived and I'm afraid I became quite anxious over the past few days," she said with a sigh, annoyed that such a simple misunderstanding had caused her so much unnecessary fear.

"I do not think the letter could have gotten lost. I have used Sawyer's services for many years and not once has something like this happened," Darcy said, his puzzled expression only deepening.

"Perhaps you should simply have someone ask him to whom he delivered the letter," Elizabeth suggested, her expression now mirroring Fitzwilliam's, "I was at the parsonage all morning on Saturday, but took a walk during the afternoon. Both the Collinses and Maria were present when I returned for dinner; perhaps they know what might have happened."

"Perhaps," Fitzwilliam murmured, his mind still not set at ease.

"Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?" Lizzy asked with a small smile, readjusting his rather creased cravat.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," he replied, nodding, "I have no desire to endure my aunt's lamentations this evening, she would barely allow me to leave the house this afternoon and all I had wanted to do at Rosings was simply give Achilles a few minutes' rest and a drink of water."

"I shall inform Charlotte then, but not quite yet. I'm not entirely ready to leave you after being separated for such a dreadfully long time."

"I agree!" Darcy said, taking hold of Elizabeth's hand and collecting her books as they walked back into the sunshine and towards Achilles, who was lazily grazing in the field.

Every few steps Darcy would steal a glance at Elizabeth, and she would do precisely the same as soon as he once more turned his gaze on the path before them. Finally strolling up to the enormous beast of a horse happily munching away on the rather yellowed grass, Darcy turned to Lizzy and asked, "Have you ridden double before?"

"I have not, and I doubt that is at all a wise choice at this moment for if anyone catches sight of us doing so we shall most certainly both be declared compromised and be forced to wed immediately!" she replied, an amused look on her face.

"I cannot say I am not tempted by the idea, but I was not inquiring for the present but rather the future, although doing so now would serve my wishes equally well," Darcy murmured, thoughtfully running his hand along Achilles' neck.

"Well!" Lizzy exclaimed in a mock-scandalized tone, "Mr Darcy, the world's most perfect gentleman, suggesting ruination as a faster path to marriage? How utterly improper!"

Fitzwilliam gazed at Lizzy laughingly batting her eyes at him and shook his head, "You really haven't decided to take mercy on me even after all these weeks of separation, have you?"

"Most certainly not, sir!"

Grabbing hold of Achilles' reins with a laugh, Darcy began to make his way further into the field, Elizabeth happily walking beside him, her hand intertwined with his own.

Passing the copse of trees, and finding a small stream behind it, he once more gave Achilles his freedom and took a seat on the dry grass.

"Mrs Reynolds informed me you have already completed much of the planning for the wedding," he called out to Elizabeth who stood watching the huge horse drink thirstily from the stream.

"Yes! As I have often repeated I am a woman of simple tastes and so I did not find the decisions all that challenging to make. Besides, with Mrs Reynolds and your aunt's help it truly was impossible for me to make a mistake!"

"And you are pleased with the modiste I sent to your uncle's home?"

"Very much so, Mrs Baudelaire was perfect!"

"I realize you might have been surprised I had not sent Georgi's modiste, but I thought it prudent to provide you with the very best London has to offer," he said, a hint of pride returning to his voice.

"I assumed as much, and even though I still feel as though all the pieces you ordered were excessive – some more than others –" she said with a mischievous smile, "I truly am looking forward to seeing all Mrs Baudelaire's designs come to life.

Darcy, whose face had turned ever so slightly pink at Lizzy's indirect reference to her nightgowns, did his best to recover, saying, "Well, I shall certainly remember your partiality to the woman in future."

Silence reigned over the field for a few moments, nothing but the sound of the bubbling stream and Achilles' light grunting filling the air. As if suddenly remembering something important, Elizabeth spun to face Fitzwilliam and asked, "Until when do you plan to stay in Kent?"

As much as she wished to remain strong for the sake of her pride and Fitzwilliam's peace of mind, she dreaded his departure regardless of the fact that they had been reunited only an hour earlier.

"I would prefer to leave for London before the end of this month, my dear," Darcy replied, having pulled Elizabeth down to sit beside him.

"So soon?" she said with a sigh.

"I am afraid so," he replied, falling silent for a few seconds before speaking once more in an excited tone, "However, Georgiana will be returning to Pemberley with me, and it might be the most opportune time for you to visit the estate as well, so that adjustments may be made to the house and your chambers as you see fit."

Turning to face Lizzy, he continued, "We could, perhaps, spend a few days in London – I shall visit you at Gracechurch Street every day, of course – and then make our way to Pemberley, stopping first in Hertfordshire. Then you may explore the estate grounds to your heart's content. We shall, of course, return to Longbourn for some time so that you may spend at least a se'nnight with your family before we all make our way to Pemberley once again."

"But, what of the journey from here to London?" Lizzy asked, refusing to let her happiness take over too soon, "We shan't be able to travel without a chaperone."

"Do not fret over such an insignificant matter, my dear, there is no problem I cannot solve when my reward is to be your company," Darcy said in as gallant a tone he could manage.

"Very well then," Lizzy laughed, rolling her eyes at her obviously ecstatic fiancé, "if you can solve that dilemma I assume I will have no choice but to accompany you to Pemberley!"

"Then it is settled!" Fitzwilliam said with a smile, standing up from the ground and offering his hand to help Elizabeth do the same.

"I suppose I shall have to return to the parsonage now, or Charlotte may become anxious over my absence. I shall simply tell her I had been walking near Rosings when I spotted both you and your aunt doing the same, at which I invited you both to dinner, but as could be expected only you accepted."

"Will she truly believe such a story? My aunt rarely leaves the house unless its summer," he asked.

"Oh she will see through it almost immediately, but the story is not for her benefit but rather for that of her sister and husband!" Lizzy replied amusedly.

"Ah yes, Mr Collins. I do not know where I found the strength to let you reside in the home of that pestiferous little parson."

"Do not worry yourself over him, my dear, he was, until some hours ago, the most entertaining person in Kent!" she joked, as Darcy laughingly shook his head.

With another long, sweet kiss the couple began to make their way back to the country lane. Stopping at the small gate Achilles had been let in through earlier, Fitzwilliam couldn't help but scan the road as quickly as he could, and then pull Elizabeth towards him for one last, hurried kiss.

"I cannot wait for the day I can kiss you in public without a care in the world, Lizzy," he whispered as he finally released her and she made her way down the lane with a brilliant smile adorning her face.

 **A/N**

WELL! This was really just a smooshy, squishy, fluff-filled chapter. After having Darcy and Elizabeth separated for such ages I reckoned I owed it to you (and myself, to be totally honest!).

 **AND (!) WE HAVE MADE IT TO CHAPTER 40! HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?** I honestly never imagined I would write more than about 15 chapters and here we are! All because of all your support and encouragement!

 **ArnettinCA –** YES! Lydia is scaring me a bit! We know from the original P&P that she was reckless enough to elope so who knows what in the world she'll be getting up to now!

 **Charlotteandlizzy –** Well both Darcy and Lizzy are equally unnerved at the radio silence as well! I wonder what's up… Even though I KNOW Lydia ought to have had more tact I can't help but find her honesty refreshing as well!

 **Dw618 –** Hope you enjoyed this chapter! At last they are reunited!

 **Nanciellen –** Thank you so much for always leaving a few words after each chapter! I really appreciate it. Lydia is doing what Lydia does best – that is to say NOTHING good. xD

 **Salinia –** Yes SOMEONE needed to give her a bit of a reality check.

 **Suddenlysingle –** I wonder why the letters never arrived… what a mystery xD And Lydia is quite unpredictable isn't she?

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** Yes, Lydia is very, very different from her sisters. She tends to lash out a lot as well. She said her mother's illness was Lizzy's fault near the beginning of the story and that her being 'grounded' is Jane's fault so you can see one of her major problems is she always lays the blame on everyone except herself. Oh and I absolutely love writing Mr Collins' character! He's hilarious. I actually liked Porthos the most in the Musketeers. He was awesome, but also funny at times, which I like. And Lily James would also be an amazing Jane! I love your casting ideas so much!

 **TiaMaria –** Mr Darcy is HERE! Yay! And of course Lydia is too stubborn for anything!

 **Deanna27 –** Mr Darcy is here! YAY! And of course Lydia will soon be up to no good as always!

 **Lilmizbubbles21 –** THANK YOU for pointing out my mistake! I don't know how it could have slipped my mind!

 **Mangosmum –** and thank to you too, for spotting my Lambton/Hunsford mix up! I can be quite scatterbrained at times.

 **Lily –** Haha, yes Lady Catherine is quite infuriating!

 **Tigrchic8 –** I hope you enjoyed the trip! And I love Lydia's sass as well, despite the fact that it was seen as improper.

 **HarnGin –** Hm I wonder over the Gardiner's capabilities of reining in Lydia too. I think a lot of it is because, as you said, she's feeling underappreciated. Not only by her own family but the ton too! Kitty has an admirer, Jane and Lizzy have their own love interests, and even Mary is engaged, yet here she is all alone, despite being so utterly sure of the fact that she is prettier and livelier, and more charming than all her sisters combined.

 **Motherof8 –** Hahahaha your idea of having Lydia spanked is hilarious! xD She would NOT appreciate that

 **EmlynMara –** Lydia very rarely listens to her elders unfortunately… We'll see what she's up to in the next few chapters, though, so I'm sure it will be interesting.


	41. Confessions

As expected, Elizabeth's story to Charlotte was promptly, although silently, dismissed by the young woman and subsequently swallowed whole by Mr Collins. For the umpteenth time that week Elizabeth mused over the possibility that her friend could at all declare to be pleased, or even content, with her situation, but her time in London had taught her much about the nature of the majority of marriages and so she abstained from further comment.

William Collins, selectively servile man that he was, spent much of the late afternoon frantically running amok about the parsonage. He was quite obviously in awe of Mr Darcy but, after Elizabeth's outburst to his mistress, he was also determined to endear himself to the great Lady's nephew and thusly secure himself in her good graces once more.

With such a single purpose he found himself fretting over his attire, the state of the dining room, the state of the menu, even the state of the candles being lit in the entrance hall, but not, as Lizzy amusedly thought to herself, over the state of his mind, which seemed to be a far more pressing matter.

* * *

To Elizabeth's immense annoyance Mr Collins insisted his wife and sister-in-law join him in waiting for the young man in the entrance hall, where she had hoped to have a few moments of privacy with her fiancé before facing the onslaught of flattery she was sure awaited him.

"Now cousin, I am sure you appreciate that, as your guardian, I have insisted Charlotte seats you beside herself," Mr Collins loudly informed Lizzy, glancing at his wife to ensure she had done as he had requested, "I see it as my solemn duty to preserve your virtue in every sense, and I believe you see the wisdom in my actions."

Elizabeth could feel her cheeks begin to burn in embarrassment. That such a vile, self-righteous little man could possibly see himself as her guardian infuriated the woman, yet that was indeed the case.

Mr Collins, who had no real reason to care about his cousin's wellbeing besides upholding his pious, irreproachable image, held the role of guardian over her when Mr Darcy – who would protect her at all costs, and never dream of doing her harm – was seen as the object from which she needed protection. It was not the first time in her life that Elizabeth silently cursed her position as a woman in society.

Instead of letting her fury and embarrassment overwhelm her, however, she chose to simply give her cousin a small nod and avert her eyes from his beaming face, in fear that she may need to excuse herself from the room to go scream into a cushion.

* * *

Mr Darcy arrived several minutes before the appointed time for dinner. Mr Collins had only just begun to comment on the gentleman's incredible punctuality when Elizabeth saw Fitzwilliam's face take on its old, detached expression. She could sense her fiancé's discomfort, and became even more frustrated herself when the only attempt she could make to lessen his uneasiness was to squeeze his hand in as reassuring a manner as possible when he turned to greet her.

Moving to take their seats, Mr Collins positioned himself at the head of the table with Charlotte to his right and Maria to his left. Elizabeth, finding herself seated at the end of the table with Fitzwilliam directly opposite her couldn't help but flash Charlotte a grateful smile.

Their seating arrangements, unfortunately, prompted Mr Collins to inquire whether Mr Darcy would not prefer sitting higher up the table, at which the rather emotionless gentleman simply let out a "No, thank you," and returned his focus to the soup set before him.

With Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam completely absorbed in their thoughts and each other, the table fell awkwardly silent until Mr Collins, a bright thought seemingly only just having come to his mind, turned to the gentleman with a disconcerting smile.

"It is such a kind, thoughtful gesture to have visited your aunt when I am sure you must have been quite absorbed in your own professional matters, Mr Darcy," the man said, giving his wife a quick smile as if to convey to her his pleasure at the wisdom and insight of his compliment.

"I believe you are mistaken, Mr Collins," Darcy said coolly, "for I travelled to Kent to ascertain Elizabeth's happiness and wellbeing, and not that of my aunt."

"Ah, I see!"

"Apparently several of the expresses I had sent here to Hunsford were never delivered to her, and had I not made the journey I'm afraid we would both have been left immensely worried and unnecessarily confused."

"What? Never delivered, you say? How incredibly strange!" the parson squawked.

"Indeed, incredibly strange," Mr Darcy murmured suspiciously, glancing at Elizabeth to see a dubious expression on her face as well.

"I believe I shall write to my housekeeper and have her inquire of the messenger, Mr Sawyer, to whom he delivered the letters. I am sure we shall have the little mystery cleared up soon after," Fitzwilliam continued, noting the colour drain from Mr Collins' face.

"I-, I am sure that won't be necessary! Perhaps the letters were simply delivered to the wrong address and will soon be returned!" the parson nervously interjected, affirming both Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam's suspicions that he had had something to do with their disappearance.

"I suppose so," Elizabeth said cheerfully, hoping to ease her cousin's worries and, by doing so, catch him unawares when the truth was revealed.

"Yes, that might be the case," Mr Darcy agreed, giving Lizzy the smallest, quickest of smiles to let her know he had caught onto her plan.

* * *

Mr Collins was, as could be expected, unusually silent as Charlotte helped the maid carry in a large pot of chicken stew. As she served the piping hot food, Charlotte found herself in pleasant conversation with Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam. She had never before been to London, but had lived vicariously through Lizzy's letters and now felt quite comfortable discussing Mayfair, the theatre, and operas with the engaged couple. Mr Darcy, having been asked by both Elizabeth and Charlotte as to how Georgiana faired, had only just begun to speak when he suddenly felt something run up his inner calf and nearly leaped from his seat in surprise. Frantically glancing over to Elizabeth he noticed the mischievous smile on her face and gave her an impossibly amused glare. Oh, how he wished to laugh but at the moment all four members of his audience had their eyes directed intently upon his face, awaiting his reply.

"As I was saying, Georgiana has repeated many times tha-" his reply was cut short once more, this time by that selfsame feeling of something brushing against his leg, except this time it ran along his knee and lower thigh. Fitzwilliam's face suddenly turned bright red and Elizabeth had to focus intently on the food before her to prevent her from bursting out in laughter.

"Georgiana has repeated what, Mr Darcy?" Elizabeth at last forced out, gazing earnestly at his face and doing her utmost best not to snigger at his current expression.

"That she cannot wait to see you once more, and you too Mrs Collins, when you visit Pemberley for the wedding," he replied forcefully, doing his best to overcome his surprise and immense desire to pull Elizabeth from the room and exact revenge.

"Oh how sweet!" Charlotte exclaimed, taking her seat beside her husband once more.

"Have you had any word from Colonel Fitzwilliam?" Elizabeth asked, wondering whether his plans to return at the end of March were still in place.

"Yes, I have. He was injured some weeks ago, but has recovered fully now and insists on finishing his duties before returning to London. He shall, perhaps, be returning a few days earlier as he says he has important news to share, but I do not expect him to be in London until the end of the next month."

"Oh! I wonder what his news may be!" Elizabeth exclaimed, genuinely intrigued by the secrecy the Colonel was apparently utilising.

"I wonder too, but I am not one for making blind assumptions so I shall simply wait for him to tell us himself," Mr Darcy replied, turning his attention to his food once more.

Silence reigned for nearly a minute when Elizabeth, still quite pleased with her ability to disconcert her fiancé so thoroughly, decided she would venture one last, bold move.

It was mere luck that Fitzwilliam was not in the process of chewing or swallowing when both Lizzy's feet ran simultaneously from his ankles to his inner thighs, and rested dangerously high up his legs. The poor man suddenly feigned a coughing fit and pulled out a handkerchief, trying desperately to hide his coloring face from the rest of the diners.

Slipping one hand beneath the table he grabbed on to Lizzy's ankle, and nearly made _her_ choke on her stew as she yanked her feet away and placed them firmly on the ground, her shenanigans well and truly over for the night.

"Are you well, Lizzy?" Charlotte asked, a look of concern on her face as she glanced from Mr Darcy to her friend in confusion.

"Yes, yes, Charlotte, dear. I am perfectly well," came her only reply, as tears of mirth formed in Elizabeth's eyes. Both Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth focused fully on the dishes before them for the remainder of the meal, refusing even to glance at each other in fear that either one may once more begin laughing.

* * *

With dinner at last over, and Mr Darcy having been forced to spend a full half an hour with Mr Collins in his study, Fitzwilliam allowed only for a further half hour before making his excuses.

Elizabeth, arising as she intended to see him out alone, was visibly annoyed when her cousin arose and, calling it the prudent thing to do, insisted on accompanying the gentleman to the door as well.

Finding herself with only a minute or two to spare, Lizzy excused herself to go fetch a thicker coat and rushed off to the small desk in her room. Scribbling a short note and barely giving it time to dry, she grabbed a shawl she had tossed onto her bed earlier and hurried to catch up with the two men who now stood at the main door, Mr Darcy slowly pulling on his coat and hat as Mr Collins excitedly thanked him for his 'most laudable condescension' in visiting his humble home.

"I do not think it is necessary for you to accompany Mr Darcy outside, Cousin," Mr Collins said authoritatively, "it is quite cold!"

"Oh do not fret over my health, Mr Collins, I am well accustomed to the outdoors," and with that both Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth stepped outside, well aware that Mr Collins stood watching them from the open doorway.

"Goodnight, Miss Elizabeth," Fitzwilliam whispered, the 'Miss' barely audible, as he bowed over her hand, the same hand in which her folded note had been held.

To Mr Darcy's credit he gave not the slightest indication that he had felt the piece of paper Elizabeth slipped into his hand. He simply straightened, tipped his hat ever so slightly to the parson who stood silently observing them from afar, and turned to his horse that stood waiting impatiently beside the fence to which he was tied.

"Goodnight, Mr Darcy!" Elizabeth called out, pleased that her plan had worked and that she would have some time alone with her fiancé once more on the morrow.

* * *

In London, things were not going as smoothly for the Bennets.

Lydia had made everyone's day more difficult than usual with her constant moaning and complaining over the unfairness of being left at home. She had hoped her uncle or aunt would take pity on her, but neither seemed to pay her any attention and so she satisfied herself by making everyone around her as miserable as she felt.

Mary, at one point, felt such extreme exasperation at her sister's lamentations that she offered to remain at home with her. This promptly shut Lydia right up, and made her aunt insist she would do no such thing as Mr Ferrars had also been invited to the dance at Mrs Gardiner's insistence.

Nothing horrified Lydia more than spending the evening with her elder, studious, and _utterly_ dull sister, and so she removed herself to her room and said no more of balls or parties for the remainder of the day.

* * *

A collective sigh of relief was given by the entire party when they at last took their seats in the carriage after having spent the last twenty minutes listening to Lydia lament that she was being left at home with the Gardiner children, as if she was still a child herself.

* * *

Arriving at Cornwall house I good time, the Bennets and Gardiners were greeted by Lord and Lady Cornwall in their usual, overly excited manner. A few minutes of small talk, and some poorly-veiled hints as to the most eligible gentlemen in attendance from the ever nosey Lady Cornwall, and the girls set off in search dance partners and company for the evening.

It was no surprise to any privy to Jane and the Viscount Fitzwilliam's budding friendship that he approached almost as soon as Jane reached a visible proximity to the dance floor and proceeded to request both her first and supper sets, which set off several elderly gossips who had overheard his words. Soon the room was buzzing with the fact that the Viscount Fitzwilliam had favoured the young country beauty with the two most important dances of the evening.

"I see you have become quite popular, Miss Jane," the Viscount said with a small smile as he once more stepped over to the young woman's side, having just seen a rather nervous looking gentleman ask her for her second set, only to be informed he had been beaten to it and would have to make do with the fourth as her third had also been taken.

Blushing lightly, Jane tried to make a reply but felt her cheeks only burning all the more with every attempt.

"Sir, I feel as though I must apologize for my sister's behaviour at Hyde Park," Jane finally said, finding it easier to apologize than reply to the Viscount's compliment. "She has very little experience in conducting herself amongst society and I'm afraid she has embarrassed not only myself and my other sisters, but you as well by association,"

"Do not worry yourself over such things, my de-, Miss Bennet," Jane tried to ignore the near-mistake the Viscount had made but failed to do so and turned pink once again.

"You must remember I grew up beside Richard, so there is very little in this world that can embarrass or shock me," he concluded with a light laugh, which was mirrored by Jane as relief washed over her.

"I would, however, like to know what Mr Bingley meant by 'renewing your acquaintance'," Andrew asked, as they strolled over to a more secluded, and far less crowded, corner of the room.

Jane immediately turned from slightly pink, to very obviously bright red, embarrassed at being asked such a forward question, and even more embarrassed that she would be expected to answer it. Glancing to the Viscount's face, however, she found nothing but uncertainty and nervousness in his expression and just as suddenly her sympathy won over. If he truly felt the way his mother had informed her he did, it would be easy to understand his apprehension at Mr Bingley's statement, and Jane had no desire to cause anyone, especially not the Viscount, any unnecessary anxiety. So, in simple words, she recounted the full extent of her relationship with the gentleman, from his arrival in Hertfordshire to her abrupt departure from the same.

"I believe my mother gave Mr Bingley false hope when he returned to end his lease of Netherfield, and that is what spurred him to say what he did," Jane ended, her voice having fallen into a near whisper. She could not believe she had told someone outside of her family all she just had, but somehow she felt neither censured nor judged as she stood nervously studying the Viscount's face as she awaited his reply.

He seemed both relieved and puzzled at her explanation, and for the life of her Jane could not understand the mixture of emotions she observed crossing his face. Thankfully it did not take much time for the Viscount to speak once more.

"You say your mother gave him false hope," Andrew said thoughtfully, "so you did not have any desire to renew your acquaintance, or attempt to do so now?"

"I did not and still have no wish to do so," Jane replied softly, "not because Mr Bingley is anything but amiable and kind, but simply because I do not love him, nor do I think I ever could," she added, hoping to make it clear that the gentleman had not done anything wrong to warrant her refusal. It went against Jane's nature to say anything ill of any man or woman, and she felt it was her duty to ensure no one would be able to use her words against Mr Bingley in any way.

"Your heart belongs to another, then?" Andrew asked, his expression a mixture of hope and fear.

Finding it all too painful to attempt to play such guessing games with a man whom she had come to care for a great deal, and perhaps might one day even grow to love, Jane took a deep breath and, reaching out her hand to the Viscount's to steady herself for no more than a second or two, she made her reply.

"I will not lie to you, sir; until some days ago I felt confused, uncertain, perhaps slightly hopeful, but yet altogether unsure of my feelings. That was until the night at the opera where your mother's words to me gave me reason to suspect, or rather to imagine the possibility, that this – that our friendship may someday grow into more," Jane's eyes fell to the floor, no longer able to hold the Viscount's gaze.

"My mother?" the Viscount exclaimed, before lowering his voice once more and earnestly asking, "Truly? But what of Mr Reeding? What of _your_ feelings, _your_ wishes? I do not want you to say or do anything simply out of pity." The man's face had once again taken on an expression of apprehension mingled with undeniable hope, and he waited breathlessly for her answer.

"Mr Reeding has been all flattery and compliments, sir, but I have very little knowledge of the type of man he is, or even _who_ he really is. Whereas I feel as though I have known you a lifetime, Lord Fitzwilliam, and for the very first time in my life I am certain that, given the time, I _will_ grow to love you." Jane seemed out of breath both from the rapid succession of her words, but also the nervousness she was suddenly experiencing.

Both Jane and the Viscount remained silent for nearly a full minute, both trying desperately to make sense of the revelations they just undergone.

Without another word the Viscount quietly took both Jane's hands in his own, gave them a small squeeze, and with an almost blinding smile said, "Then we must certainly begin by forgetting our former formalities. Please, simply call me Andrew. Lord Fitzwilliam feels so dreadfully distant from the person I am."

With a shy smile Jane replied, giving him permission to use her Christian name as well.

Just then the music for the first set began and, offering her his arm – his hands having left hers nearly as soon as he had grabbed hold of them, in fear that any wandering eyes may notice – the couple happily took their place on the floor, both wrapped up in their own thoughts with distracted smiles playing on their lips.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hi there everyone! Here I am apologizing (again) for being so late with my update! I also have to let you know I'll be on a short vacation/trip for the next 10 days so I can't promise that I'll be updating until I get home, although I'll do my best to maybe add one chapter while I'm away.

As I'm packing and finishing up a few things today I don't have much time to reply to individual reviews, but I have read ALL of them, and as always I am SOOOOO THANKFUL for all your support!

I really hope you've enjoyed this chapter and the cute/shy interaction between Jane and the Viscount, and of course Lizzy and Darcy being their sly, cheeky, spicy selves. xD

I hope you all have a wonderful day, and for those of you who will be celebrating Easter, have a blessed weekend.


	42. A Revelation and Some Minor Plotting

In the fourth little townhouse on the left side of Gracechurch Street, a young lady was up to absolutely no good.

Lydia, having silently waited for her family's departure and for the solitary ladies' maid who had been tending to her sisters' attire to depart to her own quarters, finally emerged from her bedroom dressed in as inconspicuous an outfit as she could manage, and with an oversized shawl thrown over her shoulders. Tiptoeing to the children's room, still empty as they were at that moment happily partaking of their dinner downstairs, she glanced from their large bedroom window into the grey dusk.

Prying open the rather stiff window she pulled a sturdy looking chair closer and shakily used it to hoist herself onto the window pane. It was greatly fortuitous that a large oak tree grew directly beside that side of the house and, thanking the good fortune that had set it there, Lydia leaned as far forward as possible and gave a rather unsure smile as she grasped onto a branch with her outstretched arm.

It took several more minutes but she at last gained the courage to let go of the window pane she had been gripping with her other hand, and fully commit her weight to the branches before her. She had often climbed trees with Kitty when they were much, much younger, but once she had reached the age where it would be unseemly for a lady to do so she had stopped, and Kitty had simply continued.

Sliding carefully down, being especially wary of snagging her dress, she at last reached the ground. Feeling decidedly out of breath, both from excitement and exertion, she hurried out of the small garden and onto the street, draping the shawl over her head as she had seen many urchin girls do to keep out the cold.

Making her way to the place she sought, and praying it would still be open at such a late hour, Lydia hurried down Gracechurch Street and turned up the rather narrow road a young servant boy had reassured her would lead to the slightly mouldy, modest post office.

The dimly lit room, served only by a single candle and a rather dismal looking fire, served her purpose well and it was with no more than two curious stares and the passage of ten minutes in total that she managed to deliver the letter she had secreted in her skirt pocket into the incredibly bored looking man behind the rickety table's hands and hurry back onto the now almost completely dark street.

Being in Cheapside, there were no gas lamps along the roads to light her way and her inability to see more than a few paces before her meant it took Lydia far longer to return home.

Climbing the tree, too, proved to be infinitely more difficult. She had only reached half way up when she heard a harsh scratching sound and felt the hem of her dress give way slightly. Taking another nearly five minutes to fumble about in the dark and unhook the material that had been torn from her skirt, Lydia at last reached the very top of the tree, only to find, to her immense frustration, that the window had been securely shut and the curtains drawn.

Cursing her thoughtlessness as she haphazardly slid back to the ground, no longer caring whether her dress survived or not, she wondered how she'd be able to get inside the house now.

She tried forcing open some of the smaller windows along the front of the house, but found them all to be shut tight and unwilling to budge. A minute's repose, and she set off to attempt another entrance.

Slowly making her way to the back door, which she hoped would still be left open for the cook and maid's use, she mulled over the letter she had just sent.

Addressed to the Duke from a certain Mr Portobury, a name she knew he would instantly recognize as false, she had written to ask him for help with her latest project. Edward had mentioned he needed money, which she could obtain with his assistance, and so she simply proposed they meet on the corner of Gracechurch Street on Friday evening so he may help her set into motion a plan that would provide them both with a rather handsome sum before that selfsame Sunday came to an end.

At last reaching the kitchen door, after having nearly tripped twice on her way there, Lydia pushed against it and smiled as she felt it swing open. Hurrying inside she shut the door as quietly as could be managed and, tiptoeing through the dimly lit hallway, she rushed to the staircase and nearly leaped up the stairs into the upper hallway. In a slightly more relaxed manner, she climbed the next flight of stairs to her room where she fell onto her bed with a bubbly laugh and a sigh of relief.

She would have been in an infinite amount of trouble had she been caught, and the thrill of evading any such confrontation left her feeling giddy.

It was a pleasantly surprised group of party-goers who returned that night to find Lydia quietly sitting in the drawing room, sewing lace onto an old dress, or rather mending the holes she had torn into the dress earlier that evening, but she would never let them find _that_ out.

* * *

Jane and the Viscount thoroughly enjoyed their dance, in a way only two people who have a certain understanding of the other's feelings and purposes can enjoy each other's company in full.

Jane had spotted Mr Reeding in the throng of revellers when she first arrived and knew she would have to face him at some point that evening. She did not, however, look forward to the meeting. It deeply distressed her to have to deliver any sort of message that would cause him pain, yet she knew she could not simply let him find out by chance, and in thus doing feel shunned or used.

She would simply tell him they could be no more than friends.

 _I have valued your friendship highly, Mr Reeding, but that is all we can ever truly -. No, that sounds too pretentious,_ she desperately sought the right words for such an occasion as she mulled over her now cold cup of tea in between sets.

 _I am grateful for the attention, no, for the interest, no, that won't work either. I shall always think of you as a dear friend, yes perhaps that ought to work._

Still absorbed in her worried thoughts she did not notice the subject of her musings approach with his usual bright smile.

"Miss Bennet, Miss Bennet," his voice came crashing through her silent wonderings and brought her suddenly back to reality.

"Ah, Mr Reeding," Jane whispered, curtseying in greeting to the jovial-looking man, "How uh- _pleasant_ it is to see you!"

"You look ravishingly beautiful as always. I am quite confident that it will never be anything _but_ a pleasure to run into you!" he said lightly, turning slightly to survey the room.

"I must confess it would also be entirely remiss of me not to ask for the next set if you have not already promised it to another," he gallantly asked facing Jane once more.

"I would be delighted," she replied with a nervous smile, hoping their short discourse before the dance would give her the chance to speak to the man about her feelings.

Stepping slightly to the side of the room, Jane could feel someone watching her and, twisting her head about in search of the secret observer her eyes fell upon none other but the Viscount gazing worriedly in her direction. Giving him the smallest of smiles, she was pleased to see his expression relax as he returned his concentration to the conversation he had been involved in.

"It is such a lovely evening, I must say Lady Cornwall has outdone herself," Mr Reeding spoke, breaking the growing silence that had been hanging between them.

"Yes, indeed, the Lord and Lady Cornwall were exceedingly kind in their invitation to us."

"Nonsense! They should be honoured to have you and your sisters here this evening! I missed your company so dearly I had thought of calling on you several times these past weeks, but it seems I have had little to no time as of late."

Seeing her chance, Jane nervously cleared her throat and began her attempt at clearing the air between them, "Sir, I must, well, I must speak to you of our friendship," she said quietly.

"I am afraid that perhaps we, we have reached a point where, where honesty regarding our intentions for this, for our rela- friendship is overdue," she stuttered, her face turning a rather warm shade of pink.

"I, I do not want to have any misunderstandings between us, sir, I simply do not, I don't think we could ever truly be more than we are now," she at last forced out, her body turning ice cold and her hands shaking ever so slightly. Her submissive, gentle nature was not at all suited for conversations such as these.

"Oh, my dear girl!" Mr Reeding exclaimed with a light laugh, "Did you truly believe we could ever be more than acquaintances, or perhaps friends, in public?"

The mirth on the gentleman's face instantly confused the young woman.

"I have a reputation to uphold, an estate to think of, a future! I never supposed you would believe anything of an official manner could occur between us! Why, I have only just asked for Miss Marie Émile's hand in marriage and am to receive her father's blessing within the next day!"

Jane couldn't find the strength to speak. Her surprise and shock would not, however prevent her from providing a rather uneasy congratulations for the match, but she was soon cut off.

"There is of course quite a palpable attraction between us, and I enjoy your company far more than any young lady in London. Perhaps we could come to an understanding - Miss Émile is not the most cheery of women as you may know, and I merely thought we could perhaps come to an agreement between us - something that would bring pleasure to us both."

Mr Reeding's voice had dropped low as he spoke, and Jane almost wished she had misheard him when she noticed his suggestive expression and suddenly stepped away from him.

"I, I do not understand how you could possibly imagine I would agree to such an arrangement, sir," Jane exclaimed in a strangled voice, tears forming in her eyes.

"I thought you understood the manner in which things were done here in London, my dear," the man replied, his disconcerting smile not leaving his face.

"I am _not_ that sort of woman, sir, and I, I refuse to associate with someone who sees me as thus! I believed you to be a better man," and with that she removed herself from the man's presence, her distress still evident upon her face as she hurried to the opposite side of the room.

The Viscount, who had kept one eye on Jane from the moment he noticed Mr Reeding approach, suddenly set down his glass of claret, excused himself from his company, and went after her.

"Miss Bennet, Jane," he called in as low a voice as could be managed, hoping not to draw attention to her in such an emotional state.

"Jane, my dear, what is the matter?" he asked urgently, grabbing hold of her hand and turning her to face him.

"Please, do not worry yourself over this, Andrew," she whispered, wiping away a few stray tears from her cheeks.

"Jane, dear, you are upset and I shan't leave you until you tell me what has happened."

Suddenly the words came spilling out, and Andrew's face grew visibly angrier with every sentence.

"This is absolutely unacceptable!" he said coldly, turning to catch sight of the vile man who stood innocently speaking to his friends across the room. It took all the power the Viscount had not to call the man out at that very moment, or at least threaten him in some manner, but he knew such actions would do nothing but upset Jane further and so he abstained, settling rather on bringing the woman a hot cup of tea and having her sit down beside him on the plush chairs lining the wall.

"I truly thought we were friends and now –" her voice broke slightly as she spoke, "I should have heeded Elizabeth's words more closely! Perhaps I am not at all cut out for London!"

"Do not speak of yourself in such a manner, Jane. Your kindness and grace have simply been mistaken for weakness, and I assure you, you are not weak. You have an infinite amount of strength within you and I shan't have you doubt yourself so."

It took several more minutes of consoling, and quite a few more warm tears before Jane at last found the strength to stand up and dab her face with a handkerchief.

The Viscount refused to leave her side for the remainder of the evening, making sure that when they were partnered with others for a dance he would be positioned directly beside her in the line.

On his way home that evening the young man discussed part of the night's occurrences with his father, knowing there was little to nothing that could be done about Mr Reeding's actions. The Earl, a man who valued justice as much as he valued discretion, agreed that a public dispute would do more harm than good and that much more could be accomplished if an eye was simply kept on Mr Reeding for the remainder of the season. Taking a moment to think of a better course of action Lord Matlock soon suggested his son write to Mr Thornton and engage his services for the next fortnight or so.

This was swiftly done, and it was with a renewed interest in the Bennets, and a sincere wish to protect the cheerful country girls from harm, that Mr Mortimer Thornton immediately set out to see several of his usual informants about a job.

* * *

Catherine Bennet had been having a fine time without her younger sister present at the dance. Lydia had much more to offer along the lines of seduction and it had always irked Kitty that no matter what dress she wore, or how much she tried to hide her proclivity for fun and abstract logic, she would always be overlooked in favour of Lydia. Now, with her sister at home, she found a whole group of eligibly aged gentlemen eager to dance with her. So popular had she become in such an incredibly short amount of time that even Miss Halifax, whom she had at first thought would be hostile, seemed to be much friendlier than before.

Trying desperately not to embarrass herself, Kitty remained far quieter than usual throughout the evening and the effect seemed to be exactly what she had hoped. Having almost bumped into Miss Halifax after an exhilaratingly challenging dance with a dashing young gentleman, the two women at first awkwardly began to talk of Elizabeth and Mr Darcy's wedding plans but soon after, finding Miss Halifax' lack of general knowledge being made up for by her generally cheerful manners, the two spent much of the evening commenting on other ladies' dresses and the probability that each gentleman in their line of sight would be married by the end of the season.

It was rather mindless chit-chat, and had Mary overheard them she would certainly have been scolded for indulging in such pointless activities, but thankfully her elder sister was fully absorbed in conversation with Mr Ferrars and a rather ancient looking man and woman.

Miss Halifax, finding that Catherine was far less judgmental and snooty than any of the other girls her age soon extended an invitation for her to visit during the week and Kitty found that being popular and well-liked for once was not at all a bad feeling.

* * *

Mary and Mr Ferrars had shared the first two dances of the evening and then, being quite sure she would not want to dance for the rest of the night, Mary rather bluntly declined a shy looking young man's request for her supper set and so sealed her fate – a fate she rather looked forward to – of remaining seated for the rest of the night.

Having caught a glimpse of the two old siblings she had met weeks ago, the doctor and his sister who seemed to be defying Father Time at the lapse of every minute, she pulled Mr Ferrars across the floor to where they were seated and proceeded with excited introductions.

Mr Ferrars, finding the kind duo to be a wealth of medical knowledge soon hurried off to collect a tray of fresh tea and took a seat beside Mary and the old doctor.

There they remained for most of the night, moving only when supper was served, and spent many a happy hour in detailed discussion of the method in which the two had achieved such a level of longevity.

* * *

Arriving at home after a largely successful, if not slightly emotional for some, evening, the Bennets and Gardiners soon retired to their rooms. All except Lydia, of course, who seemed a million times cheerier than she had been earlier, and still remained seated before the roaring fire with her mended dress in her hands and a mysterious smile on her face. Her plan was coming together well and with every daring adventure and forbidden action she took she was coming closer to her goal. She had not planned for things to work out quite the way they had, but when she was about to be paid a hefty sum for little more than watchfulness and cunning, who was she to complain?

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I'M BAAAAACK!**

After a well needed holiday, and perhaps one too many trips to the pool in very cold, windy weather, I got home and immediately got the flu. Absolutely lovely, right?

I'm feeling far better and finally got back to writing again. As promised I'll be replying to all your chapter 40 and 41 reviews, so this might be quite lengthy, but you deserve it after I just disappeared for more than two weeks!

 **Rania37 -** Hola! Muchas gracias por su revisión, y espero que no le importe que estoy usando Google Translate para responder. Me alegra que te guste la historia y me encantaría decir que Lydia no hará nada completamente estúpido en los próximos capítulos, ¡pero no creo que debas preocuparte demasiado! Realmente me gustan los finales felices, así que estoy segura de que ella también tendrá uno.

 **Bec18 –** Hi! Sorry for taking so long to post another chapter, but I was rather droopy from the flu! I'm really glad you're enjoying the story!

 **EmlynMara –** Hahaha I love a good Mr Collins roasting too!

 **Motherof8 –** I absolutely LOVE reunions so writing the one between D&E was loads of fun!

 **Tfranco9 –** Everyone will be in London soon, I promise! Just a little more fun/drama/bumps in the road to cover in Kent then we'll be off again!

 **NotACursedChild –** Hahaha I LOVVEEEEEE your super excited reviews! My thoughts are virtually always on CAPS lock so I always read your reviews as shouts. xD Lady C will most definitely be getting quite a talking to soon!

 **TLeighF –** Well in the heat of the moment I think they may have overlooked some of the details of their trip to Pemberley. I don't think Georgi would be enough of a chaperone as she is almost as mischievous as Kitty and would find it hilarious to constantly leave D&E alone. We'll need to send someone with them but I'm not totally sure who yet. Let's see where the story takes us!

 **Madeleine –** Thank you SO SO SO much! I'm always so happy to know people are enjoying the story! It's always so encouraging to know!

 **Dw618 –** Someone definitely tampered with the letters and you'll find out whom very soon!

 **Lily –** Lydia is forever up to no good, and I rather like her that way! xD And I really enjoyed writing the D&E reunion so I'm really happy you enjoyed reading it too!

 **HarnGin –** Ah yes, there always needs to be a little respite before all the drama starts up again!

 **Katharosalyssa –** That's exactly what I was trying to portray. A Darcy that gets a little bit too infatuated with Lizzy, but manages to remember he's a gentleman in the end as well.

 **Dreamiedreamer –** Jane is learning a lot from being in London for so long. I'd like to think she's finding her voice a little and so far it's serving her well.

 **Suddenlysingle –** Haha yes the Bennets are really just snatching up the most eligible young men in the city! It's rather funny to be honest!

 **Deanna27 –** So Lydia DID eventually sneak out, but thankfully not to the ball, which would have been at least half an hour's walk away and would not at all be a smart choice. I actually wanted her to sneak off to a certain spot in Mayfair but realized it would be rather unrealistic to have her walk the 3 miles, and if she took a public carriage/wagon thingy (I think it was called a post?) she would have grabbed far too much attention.

 **HappyLizzy –** Hahaha Collins is a real little snake isn't he?

 **Tigrchic8 –** Fluff is always nice after lots of drama, isn't it? I really wish Austen had given us a bit more of a glimpse into their interactions after Lizzy accepted Darcy's marriage proposal, but I suppose that would have been inappropriate or too 'fun' for her to write. Most good books always err on the side of saying too little and even though I understand that less is more, I sometimes really just wish we HAD more to read! That's why I love fanfiction!

 **LadyLizzyPuff –** Hahaha Jane Eyre had a very interesting way of describing herself and her thoughts! She's actually my second favourite Classics heroine after Elizabeth. I had so much fun exploring the limits of the interaction and conversations between D&E I wish I could just write a whole lot of fluff, but what is fluff without some drama/substance? So sad! xD I ABSOLUTELY adore your descriptions of Mr Collins and Lady C! I could really see him imagining himself as some or other super spy working for the Sovereign Republic of Lady Catherine's Butt Cheeks. Oh boy I think I went too far with that one! The Viscount and Jane will most likely have a very solid relationship, not as passionate as D&E's and perhaps without as many ups and downs, but I think both Andrew and Jane need stability and certainty which is why they felt drawn to each other. I agree that Lizzy was being quite scandalous at Mr Collins' dinner table but I suppose it was payback for much earlier in the story when Darcy messed with her composure and she swore she would take revenge. Also I think she simply likes getting away with what she does right under her cousin's nose, in the same way she enjoys daydreaming during his many speeches and then attempting to guess what he had said.

 **AlreadyBroken –** I agree that after the whole Bingley fiasco she probably didn't want to leave things hanging between herself and the Viscount. Oh Lydia is still a disaster in a dress and slippers but at least she has been (sort of) kept out of the public eye for a while. I hope. And YES Lizzy playing footsie with Darcy was genuinely just meant to be light hearted and a bit saucy, so I'm glad you enjoyed reading that part! I actually really like the idea of seeing things from Charlotte's POV so I might try work that in somewhere, although it is already quite a struggle handling 5 sisters' storylines already! xD But I've never been one to back away from a challenge!

 **Anne-Netherlands –** I'm super happy you're enjoying the story! I absolutely LOVE happily ever afters (the world is realistic enough for me I don't need to read totally realistic novels too xD) too, so I'm aiming for each sister to have their own version of a happy ending, even if it might not seem totally happy for us!

 **ALRIGHTY! That was a lot to write! xD**

But thank you so much for staying patient with me, and for sticking with this story for so long! You guys really are the main reason I've kept writing so thank youuuuuu!

I'm already working on the next chapter so here's hoping I don't get some or other sickness or writer's block or a vacation for at least a few more weeks!


	43. Many a Conversation

Elizabeth had been standing in the cold morning air for nearly a full ten minutes when she heard footsteps on the stone floor of the ruined little house in which she had taken refuge.

Having come across the quaint, but broken down, building during one of her walks she had at first worried that Fitzwilliam would not find it but, stepping towards the dilapidated doorway she could make out the sound of his steps and breathing and gave a small smile.

"You seem pleased with yourself this morning, my love," Fitzwilliam remarked with a grin, catching sight of Elizabeth.

"I am simply reveling in the fact that I am apparently excellent at providing directions!" she chuckled, walking towards her fiancé with arms slightly parted.

Drawing her in for a rather lengthy kiss, Fitzwilliam smiled mischievously and said, "I would never have found my way with your directions! My only saving grace was that I recognized the description of this old house from when I was a young boy. I would always hide from Richard and Andrew here during our games."

"Absolute poppycock! It was my directions and mine alone that guided you here!" Elizabeth said disbelievingly, her bubbling laughter ringing through the house.

"Oh really? And was it your most excellent, most sagacious discernment of proper behaviour that deemed it wise to toy so mercilessly with my self-control at dinner last night?" Fitzwilliam's words were difficult to make out as his lips were entirely occupied with far more pleasant ministrations.

"As I have told you on more –" Elizabeth let out a light giggle as Fitzwilliam's lips grazed the sensitive spot behind her ear. "On more than one occasion," she tried again, cupping his face in both her hands and forcing him to look her in the eye, "I always, _always,_ keep my promises, and did I not vow to exact revenge for your teasing back at Longbourn?"

"I remember _nothing_ of the sort!" Darcy exclaimed, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Elizabeth had not the slightest chance to counter his statement as Fitzwilliam's lips suddenly covered her own and she spent the next few moments desperately trying to remember what she had wanted to say, but for the life of her not even recalling _if_ she had wanted to say anything after all.

"I'm afraid you shall have to promise to kiss me like this at least once a day for the entirety of our marriage, William," she said headily, pulling away slightly to catch her breath.

"It will be my absolute pleasure."

It seemed Fitzwilliam had come prepared as he stepped away from Elizabeth slightly and procured a thick, heavy quilt from the doorway of the room, where he had let it fall to the floor earlier. Shaking it out with Elizabeth's help they laid it down in a dry, sheltered corner and took their seats.

"I suppose we cannot remain here all day, can we?" Darcy asked, wrapping his arm around Lizzy's shoulders as she leaned closer to him, their backs resting against the wall.

"As pleasant as it may sound it would be entirely too risky," she said with a sigh, "My simple-minded cousin would soon send the whole parish out in search of me and then I shan't ever hear the end of it."

"Ah yes, he is such a wonderfully empty-headed man I am beginning to see why you find him so terribly amusing."

"Have you had any chance at all to inquire after your missing letters?" Elizabeth asked, talk of her cousin suddenly reminding her of what she suspected he had been involved in.

"I sent an express to Pemberley yesterday afternoon so I ought to receive a reply within the week, but I am far too impatient to wait and so I have determined to ask the servants at the parsonage, and perhaps the inn as well. I am quite sure they would remember if Sawyer had been seen in the village."

"You do not think your aunt could have had a hand in any of this?" Lizzy murmured, absent-mindedly drawing circles on Fitzwilliam's thigh.

"I would certainly not put it past her. I suppose we could hint at it during dinner this evening and see if she has any reaction at all."

"Ah, I almost forgot! I shan't be joining you tonight, so you may have to question her by yourself."

"Will you not be attending dinner with the Collinses? My Aunt has been quite insistent that I am to be present as well."

"It would have been dreadfully amusing to tell you I have a rendezvous with someone else planned for this evening, but I am afraid I was simply not invited and planned on spending the evening with the book on Egyptian history you sent me."

"Not invited!" Fitzwilliam exclaimed, sitting up straight to face Elizabeth.

"My aunt truly _has_ lost her mind it seems," he muttered angrily.

Leaning forward and taking a hold of his hand Lizzy attempted to calm him down, "Do not fret over such a trivial thing, my darling, it has caused me no pain or embarrassment and therefore should not produce those feelings in you either."

"I have a very valid reason to be angered by her actions, Elizabeth. Shunning you in such a manner is disrespectful in every way and I shall not have my future wife be treated with such contempt."

"Please, Fitzwilliam, do not feel slighted on my behalf. I have no wish to create conflict where it is unnecessary."

"You do not understand, Lizzy. I will not have gossiping servants spread stories of me happily dining with my aunt even though I know full well she has shunned you by not extending an invitation for your attendance. Either you will accompany me to dinner this evening, or I will gladly forgo the meal and entertainment in their entirety. It needs to be clear I will not stand any such behaviour towards you from my aunt, or the rest of England!

Elizabeth gave a small smile as she reached out her hand and placed it gently on his arm, "It seems I forgot how incredibly protective you can be, let us hope I am only ever slighted in Scotland or Ireland, then."

"I am aware of all the obstacles you must have had in London all by yourself, Lizzy, and I simply do not want you to ever doubt that I will prioritize you in all my future decisions. I know my behaviour when we first met has given you no reason to depend on my reliability, but I want you, need you, to know that you will always, _always_ be my first consideration."

" _Shh,_ do not let such bygone events make you uneasy. Remember the past only as it gives you pleasure," she whispered, leaning forward to place a warm kiss on Fitzwilliam's lips.

"But you _will_ come to dinner this evening, won't you?" Darcy said, apparently not quite willing to give up.

"You, Fitzwilliam Darcy, are the most stubborn man I have ever met!" Elizabeth exclaimed with a laugh, "I suppose I have no choice but to attend."

"Yes, very good, Miss Bennet. This is excellent training for when we are married and you will be required to obey my every wish!" Darcy retorted in as snooty a voice as he could manage.

"That is not at all funny, Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth said in an annoyed tone, as she glared at the man sitting across from her.

"I, I was simply making a joke, Elizabeth," Mr Darcy said worriedly, trying to catch her eye, "Lizzy you must have realized I was only –" his words were cut off as Elizabeth dissolved into raucous laughter, falling onto her back and covering her face with her hands.

"Oh, it was simply a joke, Elizabeth," she cried hysterically between gasps for air.

In a second Fitzwilliam was crouched over her and her laughter instantly died down as she realized the position they were in.

"Ah, and what has so suddenly brought your mirth to an end? Do go on, and remind me how absolutely comical my concern was."

Elizabeth's face was rapidly turning pink and Fitzwilliam, not wanting to make her uncomfortable in any way quickly left his position and sat back against the wall. Not before sneaking in a lightning fast kiss first. He was but only a man, after all.

"I shall need to find an adequate punishment for such unacceptable behaviour, sir," Elizabeth said as she sat upright, her smile betraying the seriousness of her words.

"Then I shall need to misbehave in such a manner as often as possible," Fitzwilliam said with an innocent smile.

"You are utterly incorrigible, William."

"Some say it is my very best quality."

Elizabeth felt tempted to roll her eyes but, remembering that was Lydia's main reaction to everything and everyone, she abstained.

Silence reigned for several minutes before she spoke again, "Do you think we will ever lose what we have now? The freedom to speak our minds, to be ourselves, to be so open with our uncertainties and desires?" she asked quietly.

After a minute of thoughtful silence, Fitzwilliam replied, "No. I do not believe we ever will, and I am not simply saying so because I am infatuated or naïve, but rather because of the freedom, the comfort I feel when I'm alone with you I have never felt in anyone else's company."

The suddenly serious tone of the conversation left Lizzy gazing earnestly at her fiancé as he continued.

"I am reticent in most people's opinion, cold even, and with Georgiana, I have always felt this incredibly heavy weight of responsibility for her well-being and protection that I could never share my feelings with her. With you, however, I can't seem to find the will or the need to hide my thoughts, my emotions, or my desires," even as he spoke his cheeks turned slightly red.

"I know there are many things we still need to discuss," Lizzy whispered earnestly, "but I want you to promise to always share your burdens with me, Will - even when it seems as though I may have no way of helping, please talk to me. Don't ever, _ever_ feel as though you need to go through anything alone again because I will always be by your side willing, wanting, to ease your burdens."

Lizzy was certain she had seen something akin to tears forming in Fitzwilliam's eyes but he soon shook it off and placed a lingering kiss on her hand.

"I suppose I should be on my way back to the parsonage soon," she said lightly, trying to brighten the mood.

"It _has_ been quite some time," Darcy said, standing up from his comfortable seat.

"I shall meet you there at a quarter to four this evening," he said with a smile, "we'll walk to Rosings together, and then all you need to do is give upwards of three minutes to enter through another door and meet you just as you enter. My aunt must learn that she has absolutely no power over our relationship and I believe tonight is the night she is taught that lesson, no matter how uncomfortable it may get."

"Very well, I shall be sure to wear my most comfortable dress, then, to counteract some of the awkwardness we are bound to encounter."

"Very wise," Darcy said sarcastically as Elizabeth gave a laugh.

Stealing several more kisses before they both successfully made it out of the ruined old building, Elizabeth eventually gave Fitzwilliam a playful smile and sped off on the path back from whence she came.

Darcy couldn't help but linger a few moments longer, admiring her figure as she flew down the country path.

* * *

The clock had only barely struck three when a timid knock was heard on the thick wooden door of the Gardiners' home. Clarisse Applebottom, standing rather awkwardly before the entrance way, made quite an intriguing sight. Her hair, messily shoved beneath her bonnet, tumbled out of its constraints in tufts of dull blonde and her dress, paint-spattered and worn, nearly convinced the maid she was beggar that needed to be fed and then shooed away. Thankfully Kitty, curious to see who the visitor was, caught a glimpse of her new friend and exclaimed in delight.

"Oh! Miss Clarisse! How lovely it is to see you here today!" said she, hurrying towards the door and inviting the woman in.

"Well you _did_ invite me, did you not?" the woman said earnestly twisting her head around to take in the modest entrance hall of the Gardiners' home.

"Of course! You are more than welcome!" Kitty said with a bright smile, not quite sure whether the woman before her was joking or not.

Mr Winthrope, who had been collecting his drawing materials, stepped into the room quite interested in meeting one of Kitty's friends and then stopped in his tracks with a delighted smile.

"Ah Miss Clarisse! What brings you here to young Miss Catherine's home?" he said with cheerily, entirely oblivious of the streak of blue paint running across his collar.

"She has come to pay me a visit, Mr Winthrope. I met Miss Clarisse at the opera, where she had painted every last one of the scenes and stage settings. It was absolutely magical!"

Clarisse's face turned pink at the praise, as Kitty excitedly fell into a detailed description of her favourite pieces from the show.

"Yes, yes! I remember you told me of your latest project. I've heard your work was stellar, and I _must_ congratulate you on a job excellently done."

The old man seemed truly interested in the work the girl had done and for a few minutes, the trio stood in the hallway, eagerly discussing their latest projects. At last, Mr Winthrope glanced at the large clock standing in the corner of the room and suddenly gave his excuses.

"I _must_ get going, girls, else I fear young Anthony will abandon my shop in his impatience! It was, of course, an absolute pleasure to see you again Miss Clarisse, and Miss Catherine I look forward to our lesson on the morrow – that ship of yours has become quite an eye-catcher."

The girls both curtseyed, Clarisse slightly more clumsily than Catherine but no one seemed to mind, and with that, the old man collected his hat, placed it on his head with a smile, and went on his way.

"I often think Mr Winthrope is the only cheerful man left in London!" Clarisse said seriously, making her way to the room from whence the old man had appeared.

"I cannot entirely disagree!" Kitty replied grinning and hurrying after her friend.

"The vast majority of the people here are so incredibly sour I would never be able to paint acceptable portraits of them, they'd all end up looking as though they'd just smelled something quite horrifying!"

"Oh dear!" Kitty could say no more as she returned to her usual amused laughter.

Clarisse walked over to the table where some of Kitty's paints still stood and stood thoughtfully for a moment, before suddenly stepping over to a large leather banded book filled with Kitty's loose collection of sketches.

"Oh I haven't finished tho-" Kitty exclaimed, and suddenly fell silent as Clarisse held up one of the portraits she had painted of the Colonel.

Catherine desperately racked her brain for a plausible reason as to why she had drawn them, but before she could begin to speak Clarisse broke the silence, "These are interesting," she said holding the finished painting up to the light.

"I can quite nearly feel the emotions on his face. Have you ever thought of focusing on portraits?" she asked absent-mindedly, setting the portraits aside and continuing her rummaging through the thick pile of drawings and paintings.

"I never really gave it much thought. I suppose I enjoy watching people and illustrating their emotions, but it's the fantastical, colourful, and utterly implausible depictions of the world that I prefer," Catherine said in a wistful tone.

She hoped the Clarisse wouldn't bring up the Colonel's drawings again, and thankfully the topic was forgotten for the remainder of the afternoon.

"I've never seen anything quite like these," Clarisse said, setting out some of the finished drawings and then turning to the canvases standing against the wall.

"Is this the ship Mr Winthrope was referring to?" the young woman seemed entirely absorbed in the paintings and sketches, barely bothering to look Kitty's way as she pored over the painting standing on a small easel atop the table.

"Yes, it is!" Kitty said with a smile, "I met another artist some days ago, a certain Mr Martin, and he spoke of how often he would visit the harbour here in London. He said it reminded him of his childhood in Brighton, and somehow that drew my thoughts to ships and the sea. Naturally, spending far too much time contemplating waterborne vessels I began to wonder what it would look like if ships could fly. That is how this piece began!"

"And you have no name for this style, this, this magically impossible genre of art?"

"I confess I have never thought of naming it, as I'm quite sure someone else has already done so."

"Certainly not! In the fourteen years I have been painting, and ten of them in London, mind you, I have never set my eyes upon such a peculiar genre. It is something uniquely your own and you should not be afraid to make a statement! Heaven knows I have never given much weight to the opinions of others, but this has the potential to spark something altogether new in the world of art."

Kitty felt a bit overwhelmed by the attention and compliments and was equally surprised at the way the woman had come out of her shell as she spoke of art.

"I shall have to think of _something_ I suppose!"

"Most definitely!"

The two young women spent another half an hour in conversation, in which their future friendship found a strong foundation based on their mutual dislike of society and its principles and their deep love of art.

Eventually the girls had to say their goodbyes, however, Clarisse insisting she had to return to her aunt's home to continue her work for yet another theatre project.

* * *

Kitty, finding her afternoon free of engagements, spent the better half of an hour leisurely clearing up the space she had been using, in the same way she had done since her second lesson with Mr Winthrope when the old man had insisted she clean her own brushes and paints.

The clock had not quite struck five, or rather it was still rather far from it, when another knock came and Lydia, who had been watching her sister happily rearrange her drawings and had grown far too bored to sit peacefully any longer, leaped up and rushed to the door.

Mrs Gardiner had only just wandered into the drawing room from the children's room upstairs when Lydia appeared with a very pleased smile and Mr Martin himself in tow.

"You have _another_ visitor, Kitty!" she said, wagging her eyebrows at her sisters and giving a delighted laugh when Kitty glared at her in reprimand.

Mrs Gardiner, who was aware that Mr Martin would be visiting that week, and that he apparently took quite an interest in Catherine, quietly took her seat at the fireplace, collected a book from the table beside her, and settled in to play chaperone.

"It seems you are quite popular, Miss Catherine," Mr Martin said with an amused smile as he gave a small bow.

"Not at all, I have only made a few new friends lately and by some coincidence, you have both decided to visit on the selfsame day!" Kitty said with a light laugh, inviting the young man to take a seat at the table as she called for tea.

"Am I to be in competition then, Miss Catherine?" he asked playfully when the young woman, at last, took her own seat across from him. Her face immediately turned bright red at the implication of his words, and she chuckled nervously, unsure of how to respond.

"Oh! No, not at all! I was simply entertaining Miss Clarisse Applebottom, I'm not sure if you know of her, she too is an artist! I met her at the opera, and –" the girl nervously stuttered, before the gentleman cut her off.

"I was simply making a joke, I assure you," he said smilingly, seemingly amused at the girl's flustered reaction.

"I'm usually quick to pick that up," Kitty murmured, shaking her head as she attempted to gain control of her thoughts once again.

"Perhaps it is my fault as I was simply being vague, or maybe it was never a joke at all," the young man's intense gaze brought another light blush to the girl's face and made Lydia giggle from where she sat beside her aunt, doing her best to behave as maturely as possible in the hope of being allowed out into society once again.

"I assure you, sir, there is no competition for my attention," Catherine said quietly, her blush deepening at her admission.

"Please, do not call me sir! I am far too young for that," he said lightly, trying to set the young woman at ease.

Kitty gave another laugh, a bright smile once again gracing her face, "Very well then, what _should_ I call you?"

"Master of Arts, Magician with Paints, Mystical Creator of Beauteous Masterpieces, or if that is too modest for your taste, perhaps Francesco would be suitable."

"Very well then, Francesco," she laughed, her previous tension melting away.

"I must say you have a lovely home, Mrs Gardiner," the young man said sincerely, glancing over to where Marianne sat peeking over her book in their direction. She had grown much closer to Catherine ever since the girls first arrived in London and it pleased her immensely to see her finally return to the cheerful girl she had always been. She knew it had been difficult for her to accept that she and the Colonel were perhaps never meant to be, but the polite young man now seated opposite Kitty seemed to be aiding along the process quite well.

"I am pleased to hear you say so, Mr Martin. I have much pride in my home for being precisely that – not a house, not a mansion, but rather a home."

"I believe my mother and father would agree with you wholeheartedly," he said with a smile, turning his focus to Kitty once again.

"I believe it would be entirely foolish of me to visit your home, and then proceed to miss out on a chance to see some of the art pieces you have described to me."

"I'd be more than happy to show them to you," Kitty was delighted at the obvious interest being taken in her work, and so she hurried off to collect her best works, making sure to exclude anything related to the Colonel whatsoever.

Thus proceeded their afternoon, with Francesco taking a shine to the peculiar style of Catherine's drawings, and Kitty finding the young man to be a wealth of inspiration for future designs.

The tales of Italy and France, and the beauty they held – the fields of flowers, the revered artists, and incredible soulfulness of the people fascinated the girl and she could barely contain her excitement as she determined that someday, no matter what obstacles may impede her path, she too would visit the continent and discover all it had to offer.

It was a very happy Catherine who sat down to dinner in London that evening, and a far less pleased Catherine who angrily took her seat miles away in Kent.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Oh I had SUCH fun writing this chapter! Although I've noticed that the Darcy and Elizabeth bits come far easier than writing Kitty, Mary, Lydia, or Jane's POVs. I usually get so carried away that the fill more than half of the chapter, not that I'm complaining.

Anyhoo, TO THE REVIEWS!

 **Brokenwings35 –** I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!

 **KurukiXV –** Mr Reeding was meant to be a snake from the very beginning and I believe that is perhaps why you all saw through him so quickly. I subconsciously made him shady even though I really wasn't trying to xD

 **Deanna27** – Yes, without Lizzy or Darcy around I fear the rest of the Bennet sisters are going to need a few friends in high places.

 **Oddybobo –** Hahaha I REALLY like Lydia too! I imagine I'd be friends with someone like her, but also be quite a bit shocked at her behaviour too,

 **Anne-Netherlands –** I am SOOOOO happy you're enjoying this story so much! I absolutely love that I get to write things that people are actually having fun reading! Lydia is a bit of a mystery, even to me. Each of the sisters have relatively well planned out stories and endings, but I don't really know where to go with Lydia yet. Which is what makes her lots of fun to write, I suppose.

 **HarnGin –** I'm sorry for taking such ages with my updates, life has gotten quite busy lately! I suppose you can say thinking of the consequences is not really Lydia's strong point. At all. I always keep in mind if the original Lydia could elope/run away to London with Wickham, and be foolish enough to think he loved her, who knows where this Lydia can go. I probably won't exceed the original story's level of drama and scandal though, or it might become a little too much.

 **Lily –** Oh gosh, your description of Lydia is absolutely perfect!

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** I'M not even sure what to make of Lydia yet. We'll just have to see where the story takes us! And YES! Mr Reeding is an incredibly vile man, but he IS after all, simply a product of the society in which he was raised. It doesn't justify what he did, but it does explain it just a little. I still hope Andrew, or perhaps Lizzy, or Mr Thornton will find a way to deliver some payback. Mrs B will be making an appearance in letter form soon, and from there on out I doubt we'll be hearing the end of her for quite some time so I would suggest you enjoy the reprieve while it lasts! never read Remember Me before, but I'll definitely check it out now! Kitty is taking a bit of the spotlight again soon, and I promise we'll hear even more of her unusual painting ideas too.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter, and I look forward to sharing the next one with you as soon as I can!


	44. A Time to Argue, and a Time to Walk Away

Fitzwilliam had taken a longer route to the parsonage, hoping to avoid the Collins family who had left promptly at half-past three. Elizabeth, who remained sequestered in her room for most of the day, had moved to the sitting room after they left. She'd been forced to attend to her appearance on her own, in order to avoid suspicion, and so her attire remained simple. To complement the forest green and beige dress her aunt had given her as a gift, she had loosely piled her hair onto the top of her head, kept in place by the rose shaped ruby pins Fitzwilliam had given her.

Sitting rather impatiently on the slightly lumpy couch in the Collinses' drawing room she twisted her engagement ring around her finger. She had made enemies of many of Fitzwilliam's equals in London, and she hoped to somehow avoid doing so now with his own relatives as well. Lady Catherine was insufferable, but she _was_ one of the few family members Fitzwilliam seemed to tolerate and Lizzy feared she would become the cause of their alienation.

A light knock on the front door drew her out of her pondering and she arose with as much of a smile as she could manage and hurried to where Darcy stood waiting.

Opening the door first, and then turning to collect her pelisse and bonnet as she called out a cheery 'good evening' she didn't notice the cold look on her fiancé's face until she stepped out of the house and turned to face him.

"What is amiss?" the words tumbled out of her mouth as stepped forward and took hold of his hand.

Fitzwilliam made no reply, and only tucked Elizabeth's arm through his own and slowly began the walk down the little path running towards Rosings.

"I spoke to the stable boy at Rosings this afternoon," he finally said, turning to catch a glimpse of Lizzy walking quietly beside him.

"He said he had not seen Sawyer at all, and so I made my way to the inn. I confess I was not entirely surprised when the inn-keeper informed me Sawyer had indeed been seen, though he only stayed for a meal and to rest his horse," Fitzwilliam's face remained cold as he continued, "Apparently the maid overheard him talking to some men, and she says she is certain she heard him say he had only just delivered a letter to Hunsford Parsonage."

Darcy fell silent once more as Lizzy mulled over the implication of his discovery.

"Charlotte would never hide a letter from me, nor would Maria. The maid and cook would both deliver any messages directly to who they were addressed. That leaves only one other person."

Neither of the two needed to mention the name of the culprit.

"I do not feel comfortable with you remaining in his house, Elizabeth," Fitzwilliam murmured.

"Do not fret, my dear," Elizabeth did her best to reassure him, drawing to a stop and placing her hand on his cheek. Standing on her toes as had become usual, she placed a warm kiss on her fiancé's lips and whispered, "He will not dare do something of this nature again once we have spoken to him this evening. Besides, I plan on spending every day of the remainder of our stay either with you or Charlotte. I have no need to see him outside of dinner time."

"I suppose you are correct. Now it only remains to be seen whether my aunt had a hand in all this," he said with a sigh.

Only truly noticing Elizabeth now that he stood facing her, he noticed her dress and hair, and with a small smile whispered, "You look absolutely beautiful, Lizzy."

"Well!" she said in mock indignation, the smile on her face growing, "You have noticed at last! I must remind you, sir, that a lady's dress is only as becoming as those around her deem it to be, and your reaction has been _quite_ a disappointment."

Her snooty voice and amused laughter brought a smile to Fitzwilliam's face once more, and he sneaked his arms around her whispering, "I apologize most profusely, madam, do let me rectify my mistake."

And with that he planted his lips firmly on her own once more, in such a way Elizabeth was forced to later admit her earlier disappointment had been very short-lived.

* * *

Despite their dalliance along the road to Rosings, it was to the credit of both Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam's love for walking, or perhaps Mr Collins hatred of it, that they arrived at the stairs leading to the main entrance to Rosings less than ten minutes after a maid had quietly shown the Collins family into the large drawing room, where Lady Catherine was impatiently awaiting her 'headstrong nephew who never seemed to arrive on time' to any of her social events.

Miss de Bourgh, having been informed of Fitzwilliam's plan for the evening, had secretly requested another place be laid beside her cousin after her mother had made one final turn about the room to see that all was in order. She now sat obediently beside the irritated lady who had only just called upon a timid young servant to see what was keeping Fitzwilliam so dreadfully long, when the room suddenly fell silent.

Mr Darcy, with Elizabeth by his side, had entered with his normal, blank expression. Elizabeth, trying her best not to let out a slightly nervous giggle at the palpable tension in the room, smiled rather brightly, and further unnerved Lady Catherine who seemed incapable of deciding whether or not she would leap to her feet and banish the girl from her house, or somewhat swallow her pride and allow her to join their party.

Mr Collins, however, beat her to it.

To be entirely honest the poor man was truly unable to help himself when he exclaimed, "Why, cousin, what _are_ you doing here without an invitation?"

Realizing the volume of his voice was rather more than he had expected the man fell instantly silent, his ears reddening in embarrassment, as he whispered a grovelling apology to the great Lady who sat, worrisomely quiet, on her ornamented chair.

"What is the meaning of this?" the woman finally let out, her steady voice doing little to disguise the outrage behind it.

"You requested my presence for dinner this evening, aunt, and I only assumed you knew that where I go so does Elizabeth," Fitzwilliam said calmly, giving his aunt ample opportunity to change her mind and accept the fact that Elizabeth would not be excluded.

Anne seemed both delighted and horrified by the two most stubborn people she knew being locked into such a battle of wills.

"I simply wanted this evening to be a quiet affair, Fitzwilliam. You are tired from your journey and work, and I did **not** think yet another incident between myself and Miss Bennet would be at all good for you."

"And that is precisely the problem," Fitzwilliam's voice rose, and Mr Collins seemed to shrink slightly, not sure where to look or where to go and therefore settling upon hiding behind his wife. Elizabeth, who could quite nearly feel the tension radiating from Darcy as he spoke, remained silent.

" _Elizabeth_ is good for me, aunt. I cannot even begin to comprehend what justification you have found to behave in such an offhanded manner. She is to be my **wife**."

Elizabeth had only once before seen Fitzwilliam as angry as he was at that moment, the day he had had a very similar discussion with her mother.

"My boy, you must understand I only want what is best for you," Lady Catherine said in as innocent a voice as she could manage.

"Then why can you not accept her? Why can you not be happy for me?" Fitzwilliam sounded exasperated.

"You know why, Fitzwilliam. You know exactly why!" Lady Catherine said shrilly, "It was your mother's express wi-"

"No, it was not!" he cut her off, "My mother never made such a wish known to me, and both Anne and I have agreed we would not be happy with such an arrangement either."

"But you are a Darcy!" his aunt quite nearly shrieked.

"Enough!" Fitzwilliam exclaimed, clearly uncomfortable at creating such a scene in front of an audience, "Either we all sit down to a civil dinner or Elizabeth and I will leave this very moment!"

Mr Collins, who seemed to at last regain some of his learned piety mindlessly interjected, "But Elizabeth would be ruined!"

Lady Catherine, for no greater reason than a wish to avoid Elizabeth's ruination from leaving the house in only Fitzwilliam's presence, which would surely result in a much earlier marriage, coldly agreed to move to the dining room.

It would have given the Lady immense satisfaction to have Elizabeth seated without any cutlery or china before her, like the true outsider she was. Unfortunately, thanks to Anne's foresight, Elizabeth not only had a place set for her beside her betrothed, her name had even been written on the exact same card as the other guests. Lady Catherine could not for the life of her imagine who had ordered it. Fortunately for Anne, her mother simply assumed it was Fitzwilliam, and thus the young woman was completely excluded from her mother's wrath.

Dinner was an almost entirely silent affair. Not a word was said, and all that could be heard was Lady Catherine's rather laboured breathing, a result of her agitation at seeing her annoying soon to be niece seated so close to her.

It was once again Mr Collins who ignited the second bout of the argument. He had not meant it but, in an attempt to appease his grand mistress, he quietly attempted to apologize for his cousin's audacity, regardless of the fact that she had, as of yet, not said a word.

"I will speak to her as soon as we are home," he had tried to whisper, his voice once again rising above the sound of cutlery scraping together.

"You will do nothing of the sort, Mr Collins," Darcy's stern voice called across the table.

"Elizabeth is not a child, she does not need reprimanding from you, or anyone at this table," he could feel Elizabeth's hand squeeze his own, and gave a small smile.

"Mr Darcy is correct, Mr Collins," Elizabeth at last spoke, "I may remain under your guardianship while I reside in your home, but you are _not_ my father, you have no right to treat me as a subordinate when we are entirely equal."

"You must heed my words, Miss Elizabeth, I am your elder and it is only Biblical to respect those with more knowledge of the world than yourself."

Elizabeth had just about had it with her cousin.

"Very well, sir," she said angrily, "and what does the Bible say of lying?"

"Lying!" the man exclaimed in surprise, "Why, it is forbidden by the commandments!"

"Then you are no more worthy of your current position than I!" Mr Collins' face turned pale, "Or did you not receive the letter Mr Darcy sent me from his messenger, and secret it away?"

The man suddenly began to stutter, unsure of what to say.

"You absolute fool!" Lady Catherine interjected, "I knew you would be found out!" she exclaimed angrily, turning to an ashen-faced Mr Collins, with a very, very annoyed looking Charlotte sitting beside him.

"And I suppose you were the one who put him up to it, were you not, aunt?" Fitzwilliam was now visibly angry, "Such behaviour I would expect from a thief, a cheat, but certainly not from my own family," he said, standing up from his seat.

"Where are you going?" Lady Catherine cried, her heightened emotions manifesting in her tone.

"I will no longer be staying here. How can I when my own family, my own aunt, has behaved so viciously?"

Elizabeth immediately arose and stood beside him.

"I will take Elizabeth back to the parsonage, and spend the night at the inn," said he, his tone _daring_ anyone to oppose him.

"Maria and I will come with you, Lizzy," Charlotte said, arising from her seat much to her husband's consternation.

"You will certainly _not!_ " Mr Collins forbade Charlotte, to which she just gave an angry laugh and grabbed Maria's hand as the group made their way out of the room.

* * *

The journey to the parsonage was conducted in silence, Fitzwilliam refusing to let go of Elizabeth's hand as they walked, only doing so once they arrived and Charlotte and Maria hurried inside, out of the cold.

"I will come see you as soon as I can on the morrow," he whispered, pulling her closer to him.

"I shall be waiting," Elizabeth whispered, "but how will you collect your things from Rosings? And what of Achilles?"

"I will return there now, have Rupert collect my clothing, and we will ride to the inn together," he said, referring to his valet, who was one of Darcy's most loyal employees.

"Are you certain this is a wise decision, William? I do not want to be the reason for division in your family."

"I promised you I will put you first, Elizabeth, and I will not go back on my promises," he whispered, placing a warm kiss on her forehead.

"Now go, it is cold and I have no wish to see you ill," he said with a small smile, breathing in the smell of citrus and vanilla, with a hint of cinnamon and saffron that was so quintessentially _his_ Elizabeth. The perfume he had bought her suited her perfectly.

"I hope you are not telling me what to do, Fitzwilliam," she whispered, her voice muffled by the layers of leather and fabric in which she had buried her face.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he said, kissing her goodbye as he turned back to the road to Rosings, the lamp he had been carrying lighting his way.

* * *

Charlotte was waiting for Elizabeth in her room when she stepped inside.

"I am so sorry, Lizzy," she said, pulling her into a tight hug as both women gave sighs of exhaustion and relief.

"It is I who should be apologizing to you, Charlotte. I fear I have made things incredibly difficult for you."

"Oh, nonsense! It felt indescribably good to make my own decision for once, and I will not have you apologizing for it," she said with a smile, sitting Elizabeth down at the small dresser and removing the pins from her hair.

"What we all need now is a good night's sleep, a hearty breakfast, and a fresh perspective," she smiled, running a brush through Elizabeth's hair.

"I truly am sorry if I have made things uncomfortable between you and my cousin."

"I assure you things have never been anything _but_ uncomfortable between us."

"That does not make me feel any better, Charlotte. I wish there was some way I could help you."

"I made my choice, Lizzy. All I wish for is that you do not forget about me once you are at Pemberley. I shall miss you dearly once you leave."

"Do not worry, dearest, you shall always be welcome at Pemberley, and I will ensure Fitzwilliam sends a carriage for you at least twice a year," Lizzy said with a smile, giving Charlotte another tight hug.

"I shall hold you at your word," said Charlotte with a wink as she quietly left the room.

* * *

 _Thursday, February 13th, 1812_

The following morning Elizabeth awoke with a headache. Contrary to Charlotte's assurances sleep had only seemed to make Elizabeth feel worse. She had spent half the night doubting whether she would be able to live with such constant opposition as she had experienced from Lady Catherine, and much of the other half angrily thinking of ways to show her cousin and soon-to-be aunt that she was not weak, nor was she someone to be pushed around.

Sluggishly pulling on a warm dress and shawl, she slipped out of her room and into the drawing room. It was still far too early for breakfast, and she had no desire to awaken the rest of the household, so she made herself comfortable before the fire which had, at least, already been lit. Watching the flames flicker, she pondered over her best course of action.

It _would_ , perhaps, be easier to simply leave – return to London, and then on to Longbourn from there. It would certainly save her from a world of awkward meetings and angry looks from Mr Collins, but was she truly capable of cowering in the face of opposition and running away with her tail between her legs?

She was Elizabeth Bennet, soon to be Elizabeth Darcy, and never before in her life had she failed to face a challenge.

 _My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me._

 _If I leave now I will be exactly what Lady Catherine and my cousin believe me to be. Weak, easily influenced, a target for their manipulation._

 _No. I will face Lady Catherine again. I shall refuse to listen to my cousin's blithering, and I will remain here until the appointed time Fitzwilliam and I chose._

With a small huff of determination she arose from her seat, collected her spencer, and made her way outside.

Her mind made up, it felt much easier to see the new day in a positive light.

Walking slowly along the small field belonging to the parsonage she lingered, enjoying the sunshine as it warmed her skin and shimmered through the loose strands of hair gently billowing across her face in the light breeze. In the distance she heard footsteps and, turning to catch sight of the figures approaching from a nearby farm she gave a delighted smile as her eyes made out a young boy and his sister running clumsily down the road, dragging a rather rickety looking wagon behind them.

"And where are you off to in such a hurry?" she called out cheerily.

"To town, miss, our mum's promised we can have all the money from the eggs we sell today as it's our birthday," the young boy lisped excitedly, his two front teeth well and truly missing.

"Ah, so you are twins!"

"No, miss, my brother is seven and I am six. We were born on the same day, and my mother insists it's a sign and –" the girl was interrupted by her brother.

"Papa says it's just a, what does he call it, a co-, con-inse-, considennis."

"A _coincidence,_ Georgie. Have you learned nothing?"

"Well I must say it is quite unusual," Elizabeth interjected with a laugh as she noticed the boy stick his tongue out at his sister.

Seeing the two were eager to be on their way Elizabeth bid them farewell, after wishing them both luck with their sales, and continued her stroll along the field.

It was not a full five minutes later that she heard another set of footsteps from behind her and turned once more. This time, however, it was Fitzwilliam, and Elizabeth drew to a standstill as she waited for him to catch up.

"Good morning, Lizzy," he said with a smile, placing a kiss on her cheek before offering her his arm. The two instinctively moved off the path and into the fields, heading towards a wooded area of the countryside as they knew, should they be discovered, the news would reach town before noon.

"I have been thinking of the best course of action for us both, Elizabeth," Fitzwilliam said thoughtfully as they walked, "My aunt showed no signs of remorse when I returned to collect my belongings last night. She seemed to have somehow become even more vindictive and spiteful if you can imagine such a thing."

"I am sorry, Fitzwilliam," Lizzy said softly, "I wish there was some way I could earn your aunt's good regard."

"I'm afraid that is quite nearly impossible, Lizzy," he said honestly, sighing slightly in frustration at the situation they had been put in.

"The only course of action I believe will be suitable is if we return to London tomorrow," Fitzwilliam said earnestly, "I will arrange for someone to chaperone us, perhaps Mrs Jenkinson, my cousin's companion, is in need of a visit to London. I am not at all comfortable with you residing in that despicable man's home, nor is my aunt's treatment of you showing any sign of changing."

"Fitzwilliam, I do not want-" Lizzy attempted to interrupt, but was silenced as her fiancé continued.

"I simply need to pay my cousin a visit and inquire whether Mrs Jenkinson will be able to accompany us. I will reimburse her for her time, of course, so I do not suppose she will have any objections."

Darcy seemed to be rambling now, speaking more to himself than to the woman beside him who was trying to make her own voice heard as well.

"Fitzwilliam," she tried again, " **William!** " this time she, at last, caught his attention.

"I do _not_ want to leave."

"Whyever not?" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"I am _not_ going to allow my cousin's behaviour, or your aunt's insults, to control my actions and decisions," she said bluntly.

"So you are content then? Content to remain in your cousin's home as he constantly belittles you, content to allow my aunt to treat you as though you are inferior to her?" Darcy asked in disbelief, his frustration obvious in the expression on his face.

"Of course not, but I am equally unwilling to give them the satisfaction of seeing me run back to London like a coward - which is precisely what they assume me to be!" Elizabeth replied heatedly.

"And remaining here will prove what, Lizzy? Nothing you say or do will change their deluded opinions, so why do you insist upon staying? Do you not understand that by removing you from Kent I am simply trying to protect you from more embarrassment, more unhappiness?"

"Of course I do, but you cannot protect me from everything. I must prove to your aunt, and to myself, that I am worthy of the Darcy name, that I am capable of standing up to her without my fiancé or, in future, my husband's protection."

" _Must_ you prove your worth in this precise manner? You are the strongest, most intelligent woman in my acquaintance, does that not suffice? For the life of me, I do not understand why you are insisting on going to such incredibly unnecessary lengths _just_ to prove a point."

"It is important to **me** , William. It is important that I never, ever, cower behind _anyone_. Not you, not my family, _no one."_

"Are you truly so incredibly stubborn that you refuse to listen to reason? That you will not even listen to _me_ when I am trying to keep you away from their influence?" Fitzwilliam's voice rose in exasperation.

"Of course," Elizabeth said sarcastically, "It is _my_ stubbornness, _my_ impertinence, _my_ country manners that are the problem!"

"I never said that, Lizzy," Fitzwilliam said testily.

"Yes, but you implied it! How am I expected to survive the ton, and the rest of your family, when my own fiancé believes it is my personality that has caused all his problems?"

Elizabeth felt incredibly annoyed. She had begun the day with a clear plan of action, and now Fitzwilliam had come and scoffed at her decision, overridden it, and insisted she listen to him.

"Elizabeth, do not accuse me of something I have never even dared to _think_."

"Why are we arguing then? Why are we discussing this when you are _always_ right, and I am simply imagining things?" Lizzy asked angrily.

"I do not know, Lizzy. We are at an impassé, and perhaps it will simply be best if I leave for a while."

With that Fitzwilliam walked off towards the path to town without a backward glance, his thoughts a jumbled, angry mess.

"Then so be it!" Elizabeth called out in indignation, spinning on her heel and storming off in the direction of the parsonage.

 _If he wants to be so incredibly insulting, so mulish, then he should just leave. Go back to London where everything is done as he wishes it, and everyone obeys his every word._

* * *

 **A/N:**

AHHHHHHH Here we have it! Their first fight! I HAD to add it in here, I couldn't help it! With all the tension from the fighting and stress of the wedding, and Darcy's work, I figured it would happen eventually. And what else would there be for them to argue about if not their stubbornness, and clash of wills?

 **Leslie E –** Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'm really glad Darcy and Lizzy are taking center stage again!

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** Aww I really liked the interaction between them too! I can imagine the relationship between couples changed massively once they were married in those times. I wish Mr Darcy was real too! *sigh* And you are SO right about Lady Catherine mistaking Darcy's silence for someone who is easily manipulated. Technically men weren't allowed to call unmarried women by their Christian names or vice versa but many people made exceptions according to what they wanted or not. I've never seen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but I've heard it being referenced very often! Hahaha Mr Collins really made quite a few blunders in this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it! xD  
 **Lily –** I hope you enjoyed the chapter and confrontation between Lady C and Darcy. I didn't want it to be too over the top and unbelievable in the end.

 **Tfranco9 –** Georgi will be back in the next chapter! I must admit I am having quite a challenge keeping track of everyone! xD

 **KurukiXV –** Aw I'm so happy you liked the chapter! The fight between Lizzy and Darcy was quite some time coming as they both have such strong personalities it will happen eventually.

 **Deanna27 –** Aw I'm so glad you enjoyed it all! I'm quite sure Lady C is currently struggling with far more than just indigestion! xD

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE for your reviews and comments! The next chapter will be up ASAP! I promise! xD


	45. Reconciliation

Elizabeth hurried into the parsonage with a foul expression on her face. Slamming the door behind her, she noticed her cousin waiting in the hallway, but one look at her face and he suddenly decided against it what he was planning to be another informative lecture, and stepped past her into his study, nervously clearing his throat as he went.

Stalking into her room she threw herself onto her bed with an angry growl and spent a good ten minutes cursing Lady Catherine, her unsightly clothing, her insufferable house, and her unbearably infuriating voice.

 _She is the source of all this maddening confusion, and Fitzwilliam is too headstrong to see that he is blindly playing into her hand!_

It took the better part of an hour for Elizabeth to calm down even slightly.

Perhaps it was the exciting letter from Jane that helped ease her, or the exquisitely penned note from Georgiana describing her excitement for her return to town, but at some point she had fallen asleep, her anger having exhausted her ability to fight, even though most of the fighting had taken place in her head.

* * *

In London, an entirely different atmosphere pervaded the Gardiner household. All four sisters and Mrs Gardiner had been invited to Hyde Park by Georgiana for a picnic. Georgi promised the Viscount, Margaret, and Lady Matlock would be present, and it was a very excited group of women who sat cheerfully chatting away as their carriage bumped along the road.

Georgi had truly outdone herself. A large quilt, protected from the ground by several layers of thick cloth, had been laid out. On short-legged tables was displayed an endless selection of cold meats, fresh bread, pastries, and fruit – a rare treat enjoyed only by those well-to-do families who could afford them.

Lady Matlock and the Viscount were warmly greeted by the girls, Margaret being slightly distracted by the veritable feast laid out before her.

"Oh, this looks absolutely lovely, Georgi!" Jane exclaimed in delight, noticing the young girl had even arranged for cushions and stools to be set out beside the tables. Georgiana had been standing to the side rather shyly, but Jane's praise seemed to give her courage and she stepped over with a bright smile.

"I am pleased you think so!" said she, basking in the praise in a way that was entirely contrary to her previously reticent nature.

"It seems it has been such ages since we last saw each other!" Kitty interrupted brightly, hurrying towards the girl and pulling her into a light hug, which appeared to please Georgiana more than it surprised her.

"It truly does feel that way! I had been growing dreadfully lonely at home, so I simply decided if I do not do something about it I really have no reason to complain and so the idea for a picnic was born."

"Well, I think it was a swell idea!" Mrs Gardiner commented as she poured herself and Lady Matlock some tea.

Georgiana beamed around at her lively little family, for that is what they had become – Mrs Gardiner was more of an aunt than an acquaintance, and the Bennet girls had become the closest thing to sisters she ever had.

Little Margaret, who had now finished helping herself to a choice selection of pastries, came confidently striding towards the girls, saying, "Miss Kitty, Georgi! Have you had one of the orange tarts yet? I must say they are _divine!"_ The girl spoke in a tone she had often heard some of the more sophisticated ladies of the ton use, and the result made it difficult for Georgiana and Kitty to keep straight faces, so strange was it to hear such pretentious language from a four-and-a-half-year-old.

"I certainly haven't!" Kitty replied with a smile, and the girl immediately grabbed her and Georgi's hands and dragged them toward the table.  
"I insist you try one this very instant!" she said earnestly, and the girls happily obliged.

* * *

"How have you been faring, my dear?" a voice interrupted Jane's happy thoughts and she turned to face Lady Matlock with a bright smile.

"Very well, thank you, Lady Matlock," she replied, suddenly feeling rather shy in light of the understanding she now had with the Countess' son.

"Oh, please, I _insist_ you call me Amelia, or even Aunt if you must - anything but 'Lady Matlock'!"

"Very well then, Amelia," Jane said tentatively, the name still feeling rather foreign as it rolled off her tongue.

"Much better!" the woman said pleasantly, "Have you heard any news from Elizabeth as of late?"

"I have had no news from her in the past week, which has been unusual, but I suppose she and Mr Darcy have had much to discuss. Georgiana informed me he left for Kent quite a few days ago."

"Ah, of course! They are still in the stage of their relationship where much must be learned and much be spoken about. That is, in the end, the secret to a successful marriage – communication."

"I can't agree more," Mrs Gardiner interrupted, taking a sip of her tea and glancing in the Viscount's direction with a mischievous smile meant only for Jane.

"May I then, perhaps, seize this opportunity to request you join me for a walk, Miss Bennet?" the Viscount interjected, having overheard his mother's words and decided to act upon the good advice immediately.

"Certainly, sir" Jane replied, blushing lightly.

"I shall join you!" Lydia loudly asserted, jumping up from where she had been seated - rather lonely at one end of the table.

"So shall I," Mary added, causing her younger sister to give a loud huff of annoyance and roll her eyes furiously.

Grabbing hold of Lydia's arm, Mary kept the girl several paces behind Jane and the Viscount, and in so doing they both remained well out of earshot.

Even stoic Mary felt sympathy towards her eldest sister and the difficulties she faced in finding someone who saw her as more than an accessory, and so she made it her duty to ensure the two would not be interrupted.

She would never admit it, of course, but being the cause of frustration and annoyance for Lydia was also quite satisfactory. Especially after having been belittled, teased, and taunted by that selfsame sister ever since she could talk.

* * *

So the walking party set off, Jane and the Viscount already in deep conversation, the topics of which ranged from Hertfordshire to the House of Lords, where the Viscount would one day take his father's place. Jane found that, when encouraged sufficiently, and when not scorned or constantly corrected, she rather enjoyed speaking of politics, although she still refused to venture anywhere near science.

The Viscount, on the other hand, found speaking of such serious topics as politics and geography with a woman rather unusual.

Not only had his first wife openly asserted she detested it (her love for art and music had made it nearly impossible for her to entertain discussions of bills and laws), but he had not expected someone as gently unassuming, to have any interest in the world of deceit and arguments – the two hallmarks of any and all political agendas.

In truth, Jane knew very little of the topic but the fact that the Viscount listened, and showed interest in her thoughts, made her feel as though someone finally appreciated more than her appearance and so she continued to ask questions, and learn as much as she could manage to at the time.

* * *

Catherine, Georgiana, and Margaret had embarked upon a game of battledore and shuttlecock*, the equipment required having been arranged for by Georgiana on Margaret's explicit request. Unfortunately, Margaret's coordination had not yet exceeded her ambition and so the game was stopped and restarted several times in just a few minutes but neither Georgiana not Kitty seemed to mind. As they played Mrs Gardiner and Lady Matlock watched them with quiet smiles.

"Margaret has grown so much happier since the arrival of your nieces, Marianne," Lady Matlock said thoughtfully.

"They do tend to have that effect on people, especially Jane, Lizzy, and Catherine. I suppose they have had such extensive experience in caring for a younger sister that they intuitively know what to say and do to cheer her up."

"It is quite remarkable. The girl has had more than her share of troubles – growing up without a mother, and spending her first year of life almost entirely estranged from her father. There has been so much sadness in her life I do not wish her anymore for as long as she may live."

"Her father adores her now, I can see that as clear as day," Mrs Gardiner said gently, noticing the pained expression on the Countess' face.

"It was not always so," Lady Matlock replied, "Andrew did not lose only his wife in childbirth, but another daughter as well," the woman's voice fell so low Marianne could barely make out her words.

"Margaret had a twin sister, born mere minutes after her, but instead of opening her eyes, instead of crying, she just lay lifeless. She never drew her first breath. Andrew was devastated," Lady Matlock said quietly, a far off look in her eyes.

"Margarita died less than an hour later, without ever knowing what had happened. The doctor and midwife had taken both infants from the room as soon as they were born, and Andrew refused to tell her after the doctor informed him she would likely not live through the night," Amelia's voice broke slightly, and Marianne took hold of her hand, doing her best to bring her some comfort.

"He lost two of the most important people in his life in a single night and for weeks he refused to even _look_ at Margaret. For almost a year the poor girl remained nameless, being cared for only by her wet nurse and myself. The turning point came when Richard returned home from service. He and John forced Andrew to go see his daughter, to hold her, to sit with her. That's when the boy broke down - he stayed with her for almost two full days – refusing to leave the nursery. She was christened less than a week later."

"Oh, the poor child! How difficult it must have been for you and your son!" Mrs Gardiner exclaimed in sympathy.

"I do not know why I am telling you this – it has been kept a secret from even our extended family."

"Perhaps seeing Margaret and Andrew find happiness in each other and those around them has finally brought about the closing of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. Maybe by sharing this, you are bidding farewell to the pain harboured for so many years."

Lady Matlock didn't say a word, but her expression reflected her gratitude and the two women parted that day with a deep friendship and understanding that would last for the remainder of their lives.

* * *

At Hunsford, Elizabeth sat quietly on the wooden stool in the corner of her room. She had, at last, calmed down from her earlier anger but felt nowhere near ready to face Fitzwilliam, who she was sure was halfway gone to London already, anyway.

A letter from her parents had been delivered only a few minutes ago and she now sat staring blankly at its contents, not registering any of its meaning,

At last, after a full ten minutes of gazing at the page, her eyes glazed over, she shook her head slightly and refocused her attention on the words before her.

 _'My dearest Lizzy,'_ the missive from her father began. He said very little besides the fact that he missed his daughters dearly, and that he was impatiently awaiting their return home. He recounted the contents of a new book he had acquired and informed her of the progress being made on the estate now that he had decided to take a slightly more active interest in its functions.

The note from her mother was written in an entirely different tone. Although somewhat more restrained than her previous letter, Elizabeth could still distinctly make out the underlying anger and resentment her mother held towards herself and her father for taking away her favourite daughters and leaving her with no one to talk to but herself.

It was while reading the letter that a horrifying fact suddenly dawned upon Elizabeth. _She_ had been the stubborn one that morning, _she_ had refused to calmly discuss her thoughts with Fitzwilliam when he had only been trying to do what he thought was best for them both.

 _I am a complete and utter idiot!_ She chided herself, _I'm becoming just like my mother, instantly accusing William of disregarding my feelings and only doing as he pleases. Oh stupid, stupid, stupid, Lizzy!_ And with that she leaped from her seat, grabbed her bonnet and Spencer, and quite nearly stumbled out of the house in her rush, calling out to Charlotte that she was going for a walk.

 _Oh, why have I been so incredibly difficult lately?_ She chided herself, _Fitzwilliam must think I have gone insane!_

She hurried along the path towards town, to the inn, where she hoped Fitzwilliam might still be staying.

 _Perhaps he was only planning to leave on the morrow,_ she thought hopefully as she half walked, half ran along the path.

She had not made it more than halfway to town when she caught sight of a figure sitting on a fallen log beside the road, and immediately broke into a sprint.

"William!" she shouted as she neared her destination,

"Lizzy! What the devil are you doing here? Has something happened?" he asked worriedly, immediately grabbing hold of Elizabeth's shoulders and worriedly scanning her face.

"I am so sorry, so terribly sorry for the way I acted this morning," was all that she could get out as tears suddenly began rolling down her face.

"Oh, my darling Elizabeth, you have nothing to apologize for," Fitzwilliam whispered as he pulled her against him in a tight embrace.

"It is I who should be apologizing for so despicably leaving you, leaving without a backward glance, without a second thought that I may have overreacted."

"No! Do not say that! You were simply trying to do what you believed was right, and I was too stubborn to even _attempt_ to discuss your plan like a fully grown adult."

"Let us not lay blame on ourselves, my dearest Lizzy," Fitzwilliam whispered, holding her close and placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"It has just been so incredibly tiring!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled by Darcy's coat, "It feels as though our entire courtship and all of our engagement has thus far been a never-ending series of disapproval, and difficulty. My mother, the ton, and now Lady Catherine – will it be this way forever?" she asked wearily, her hopelessness reflected in her eyes.

"I am so incredibly sorry, Lizzy. I am so, so sorry," Fitzwilliam said gently, tightening his arms around her.

Mr Darcy himself had been feeling guilty ever since he arrived in Kent. Mr Bennet had made him promise to protect Elizabeth from the scorn and censure of London society and he had failed to do so. He had even left her in Kent, left her to face his aunt alone, and he had felt nothing but remorse over his thoughtless behaviour. It was the main reason why he had insisted they leave Kent, so he could make up for his abandonment, and have a chance to remedy his mistakes by ensuring Elizabeth meet only the best of the London peerage.

"It is not your fault, William. I had simply grown tired of having so little control over my life, over my choices, over people's perception of me that when you insisted we leave Kent I chose to dig my heels in and refuse to budge. I did so knowing full well you would never do anything to bring me further unhappiness, yet I couldn't help but exercise my ability to choose, and do so with as high a level of stubbornness as I could manage."

Fitzwilliam began to chuckle, lightly at first and then loud and deep and full.

"What in the world do you find so amusing? Elizabeth asked, her eyes still shimmering from her tears, but her expression having returned to calm.

"It is only that we are once more _arguing_ over who is to blame for our argument, and I cannot for the life of me understand why!"

The tickled grin on Fitzwilliam's face was too much for Elizabeth and suddenly she too began to laugh.

"Oh dear! I feel as though we will have to prepare for many an argument over entirely insignificant issues," she said between chuckles as she wiped the remnants of tears from her cheeks.

Darcy leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on Elizabeth's forehead.

"I thought you had left for London," she whispered, her tone turning slightly serious once more.

"London!" Fitzwilliam exclaimed, "Why would you – Oh," he said with a sigh, "I said I was leaving. You must know I never meant to London, I only meant to return to the inn. Rupert made himself scarce upon noticing my mood, and I spent quite a few hours chiding myself for my behaviour before deciding to find you and apologize. That is why you found me seated on this log – I was trying desperately to find the right words to say."

"Well, that would have given me more time to be stubborn and angry so I suppose it was quite fortuitous that I misunderstood you," Lizzy said with a small smile.

"I suppose so," Fitzwilliam said with a cheeky smile as he tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear.

"If you truly wish to return to London tomorrow, then let us do so. But know that I will be perfectly happy remaining here in Kent, as long as you do not leave without me," Elizabeth said, her teasing nature slowly returning.

"I wouldn't dream of leaving you, my dear. In fact, I do not plan on being parted from you until well after our wedding tour."

"A tour!" Elizabeth exclaimed, as Fitzwilliam stepped away and intertwined his hand in her own. They had been standing beside the road for far longer than he was comfortable with and would have to seek shelter if their conversation was to continue.

"I have heard nothing of a wedding tour!" Elizabeth said with a grin as she hurried along beside Darcy, who was leading the way through the field.

"That, my dear Lizzy, was exactly my intention!" he replied with a smile, "You have more than enough planning to occupy your time, and there will be so much to complete before the wedding, I take full responsibility for the month or so thereafter."

"A _month!_ " she exclaimed in surprise, "Are you planning a trip to the continent?" she asked amusedly, knowing full well such an endeavour would be nigh impossible.

" _That_ would have been absolutely spectacular, but I fear it is not nearly safe enough as of yet. We shall have to wait some time still before we can do so."

"Then we shall remain in England?" she asked curiously, as Fitzwilliam shook his head with a cheeky smile.

"You may ask as many questions as you please, my dear, but you shall know no more!"

"That is entirely unfair, William," she replied in mock anger.

"That may be true but it does not change the fact that you shall know nothing of the specifics, especially since you refuse to describe your wedding dress for me, nor do you seem to have any desire to speak of the nightgowns you chose from Mrs Baudelaire's collection."

Elizabeth's ears immediately turned bright red and Fitzwilliam gave a light chuckle.

"Ah! A single mentioning of nightgowns and wedding dresses and you quite conveniently forget your earlier curiosity."

"You are being quite insufferable, William," Lizzy said in annoyance, although her smile gave away her true feelings.

"Perhaps," he said teasingly.

"Fitzwilliam Darcy, are you _entirely_ sure you wish to annoy your future wife in such a manner?" she said, coming to a stop and crossing her arms in defiance.

Turning to face her, and slowly running his finger from her jawline to her dress' hem, he whispered, "Unequivocally."

That proved Elizabeth's undoing and, taking hold of his cravat, she pulled his lips towards her own.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 ***** Battledore and Shuttlecock is a Regency-era game similar to Badminton (I basically just Googled "Regency England games"). I've learned SO much from writing this story I feel as though I should get my PhD in Regency Studies xD

There we go! Almost everyone made an appearance in this chapter, and so we shall continue with our story. Not long to go to the wedding now – it feels like it's been looming on the horizon for ages. I know we are progressing at snail's pace but it just feels so wrong to skip too many days, and for each of the scenarios the characters are in there's just so much to write about and so much to explore. Bear with me! xD

Anyhoo!

 **Dw618 –** That is so true! I realize that the fight seemed to be blowing up over such a small thing but that is usually what happens when people are put under pressure for such an extended period of time!

 **Lily –** Hahaha Lydia and Lady Catherine would make quite a pair, wouldn't they? I absolutely love reading your reviews, so it would be really mean of me not to reply and pay attention since the reviews are the main reason I've kept on writing for SO long (I originally only thought I'd be writing about 8-10 chapters and look where we are now!)

 **Anne-Netherlands –** D & E have officially made up! They're not the type to hold grudges against each other, and I think since both of them can be quite hot-headed at times they will eventually blow disagreements out of proportion.

 **Tfranco9 –** Awwww I hate writing fight scenes so I doubt the story will contain all that ma y, but they can't ALWAYS be completely in agreement.

 **Brokenwings35 –** Thanks for all the reviews on each of the chapters, I really appreciate it!

 **Shootingstar7123 –** Aw I'm soooo happy you're enjoying it!  
 **Leslie E –** Yay, it was SUCH a struggle to write a realistic argument between the two, especially when JA did it sooooo well in the original!

 **NotACursedChild –** I think Lizzy just felt a bit overwhelmed with all the opposition she had been facing and that caused her to lash out.

 **LadyLizzyPuff12 –** Hahaha YES! Mr Collins always says the wrong thing at the wrong time and I absolutely love that there's such an annoying character to play around with! xD I think Elizabeth just felt like EVERYONE was trying to insult her or make decisions for her and so when Darcy tried to take control of the situation she freaked.

 **HarnGin –** Haha it really feels as if it's come full circle with D&E arguing in Kent! You are absolutely 100% right about the reason for their fight too!

 **EmlynMara –** Ah yes, Anne does SO enjoy the drama Elizabeth brings to Rosings. Being stuck in one place for so long can't be all that fun so I think Anne appreciates any and all excitement that comes her way.

 **Kiwipride –** Hahaha thankfully both of them saw their own silliness and apologized quite quickly!

 **Deanna27 –** They are both incredibly headstrong so an argument over such a small disagreement was bound to happen at some point!


	46. St Valentine's Day

It was a very disheveled Lizzy who returned to the parsonage. To Fitzwilliam's credit, he _had_ tried to help her pin her hair back into some sort of an acceptable style, but despite his most valiant efforts she still slipped into her room with her hair resembling Caroline Bingley's the last time the two had met in London.

Plopping down onto her bed she gave a small sigh. If things continued in the manner they were now the next month and a half would be an exceedingly long time to wait for the wedding. She could sense how much effort it took on Fitzwilliam's part to restrain himself, to keep his distance from her, and she was beginning to feel much of the same frustration as he.

 _Mama always spoke of marriage with such disappointment,_ she thought to herself, _yet I cannot seem to wait for Fitzwilliam and I to be married. If our relationship afterward is anything like it is now, I do not see how I could ever be unhappy._

Spending a few more minutes in quiet thought, and then suddenly realizing something would have to be done about the tangles in her hair, she moved to the small dressing table and began removing the pins one by one as she thought.

 _I suppose I shall have to inform Charlotte of our departure. She will be rather disappointed, and I do so hate leaving her alone with Mr Collins, but he **is** her husband in the end, and thankfully Maria is here to keep her company, _Lizzy mused. She and Fitzwilliam had agreed they would leave Kent the next Tuesday, which would give Elizabeth enough time to spend with her friend, yet still be short enough so she would not be obliged to see Lady Catherine on any other day besides Sunday.

Elizabeth had received a letter from Jane earlier that day, informing her of the girls' activities in London. Little more than a shy sentence or two had been tacked onto the end, briefly mentioning the Viscount's newly declared intentions, even though he had not explicitly said the words 'court' or 'marry'. Elizabeth knew Jane would fixate on the fact that the man had not yet made himself entirely clear, despite the fact that his mother had assured her his intentions were honourable, and so she spent the next hour penning a reply. She spoke of Kent and Hunsford, and reminded Jane that the Viscount, kind-hearted man that he was, would never allow there to be even the slightest hint of romantic feelings shared if he did not fully intend on making her his wife. She informed Jane of her early return to London, but said not a word of Lady Catherine's behaviour or the argument between herself and Fitzwilliam, and lastly inquired after Lydia, Mary, and Kitty's wellbeing.

Finding herself with yet another hour free she wrote to Georgiana as well, asking after her music lessons and whether she looked forward to returning to Pemberley. Another loving note hurriedly scribbled to her father left Elizabeth feeling she badly needed a change in activity and so she went in search of Charlotte. Knowing she would only have a few days left with one of her closest friends, she intended to make the most of it.

* * *

 _Friday, February 14th, 1812_

Mr Ferrars arrived in Gracechurch Street mere seconds after the clock had chimed 9. An unheard of hour for visitors in the city, the man was still very much living by country-times, and thankfully so was the woman he had come to bid farewell.

Mary had been seated at the small desk in the drawing room for well over an hour when a knock was heard and the maid showed the man in. Kitty, who had found it difficult to sleep considering the very specific date of that very specific day and the anticipation for what she hoped would be a visit from Mr Martin once more, sat quietly rearranging her brushes and paints as Mr Ferrars took a seat beside Mary and the two proceeded to converse in hushed tones.

He planned to leave to Hertfordshire that very day having decided, with Mary's help, to accept the position offered by his old mentor. A home, a better source of income, and stability had been Mr Bennet's main requisites for openly announcing their engagement and both Mary and Simon hoped her father would agree the opportunity offered to the young man more than fulfilled his requirements. Mary, as of yet, knew naught of Mr Darcy's generous addition to her and her sisters' dowries, but it would not be long before that fact was made known.

* * *

Catherine Bennet had been seated before her canvas for well over three hours. Mr Winthrope had left only fifteen minutes ago and already she felt desperate, impatient, and hopeful all at once. It was St Valentine's day, and as was customary young men and women would exchange cards, and small gifts, and although she doubted their friendship had extended to such a point where the young man would even consider it, she could not help but hope Mr Martin would show up for a visit.

She had been working on something she knew would delight him and hoped to bestow her gift upon him, if _only_ he would come by Gracechurch Street at some point that day. She could, perhaps, give it to him the next evening, if he made an appearance at the theatre to which Georgiana had invited them, but that would nullify the symbolism behind the gift and therefore retract from its importance.

Catherine, feeling her heart had already been shattered by the Colonel, and supposing she had nothing further to lose, had decided to show her regard for the handsome young artist first. Nothing he could say or do would have the ability to hurt her more than she had already been injured and so she gave no thought to her nerves or the tickling feeling inside her stomach as she quietly sat waiting.

No amount of chiding from Lydia, who had become dreadfully bored with her own company and desperately wished for her sister to entertain her conversations just once more, seemed to make any difference. Kitty simply sat, staring blankly at the canvas before her, the ship having now been surrounded by clouds and a miniscule village added, peeking through from below.

* * *

In all honesty, Lydia was beginning to feel shunned. Kitty would pay her no more attention; she no longer listened to her schemes, nor did she seem interested in her opinions. Mary, rigid, dull Mary said very little outside of reprimanding her choice of dress or topic of discussion. Jane seemed very much absorbed in a world of her own, and Elizabeth, who had always been the sister she looked up to the most, was miles away and far out of reach. She could, perhaps, send her a letter but that was just too much effort and Lydia doubted whether the exertion would be worth the reward.

The only thing she truly looked forward to was the meeting she would have with the Duke that evening. She would have to be at the appointed location half an hour after dinner ended, and would need to be back within the hour so as to avoid being found out by Catherine, with whom she shared a bed.

Only a few months ago she would have let Kitty in on her plans and relied on her help, but lately, she had come to realize Catherine no longer entertained such reckless escapades and would most likely attempt to convince her of the danger of her actions.

She would have to leave through her cousins' room once more, but return through the kitchen door, as the children would have been sent to bed by then and so she determined to secure her way into and out of the house so her route would be as effortless as possible.

* * *

Kitty was still quietly seated at her table when a loud knock rattled at the door. Leaping to her feet she rushed to the entrance hall where a maid stood chatting with a young messenger boy. In his hands, he carried an enormous posy of purple lilacs and pure white orange blossoms. For a second Kitty's heart skipped a beat, she was almost certain the flowers were meant for her. Her excitement was short-lived, however, as she soon overheard the young man mention 'a Miss Jane Bennet' and then, with a sly wink to the young maid, took off once more, having delivered the posy into her hands.

Trying desperately to overcome the feeling disappointment welling in her heart she took the flowers from the maid, assuring her she would see to it that her sister received them, and rather slowly began to make her way to the drawing room where Jane was seated, hard at work on a piece of embroidery she planned to present to Elizabeth on her wedding.

Plastering a smile on her face she half walked, half skipped to her sister's side and dropped the flowers in her lap with a mischievous grin.

"It seems you have a _most_ thoughtful admirer, Jane," she said, feeling her own spirits lift with the expression of surprise on her sister's face.

"What do you mean?" Jane asked innocently, her eyes darting over the large bunch of flowers lying before her.

"I was informed this posy was sent from a certain Viscount Fitzwilliam," Kitty said suggestively, her earlier unhappiness slowly fading away with the prospect of teasing her shy, gentle sister.

"Oh! Well, it is _beautiful,_ although I must say it is a rather strange combination of flowers!" Jane said with a light blush, examining the flower arrangement.

"Not strange, Jane!" Kitty exclaimed, "It's _romantic!"_

"And how would you know, Catherine?" Mrs Gardiner, who had been seated opposite the girls, asked curiously, noting it was now Kitty's turn to blush.

"Mr Winthrope brought me a book to use as reference in my paintings! It is _most_ interesting and was written by a French woman who lives in Constantinople. In it, she describes myriads of flowers and their secret meanings according to the Turkish women.*"

"And you suppose the Viscount would have knowledge of such a book, then?" Mrs Gardiner asked skeptically.

"Oh, do have _some_ sense of imagination, aunt!" Kitty exclaimed dreamily, "Wait, I shall find the book this instant and perhaps we may decode the message!"

With that, she hurried off to the opposite side of the room, where a small bookshelf had been set up for her use. Rummaging through books regarding landscapes, the continent, mythology, and Egyptian symbolism she finally found the volume she'd been searching for and nearly ran back to Jane, who had now placed the flowers on the table beside her and was discussing how best to respond with her aunt.

"I see only lilacs and orange blossoms," Catherine said thoughtfully, examining the posy carefully as her aunt nodded in agreement.

Taking a seat she began paging through the book in search of the flowers' meanings.

"Lilac, lilac, lilac," she whispered as she scanned the pages for the word.

Marianne watched the girl's obvious excitement and curiosity with a pleased expression. Although Kitty had matured immensely since Christmas, it made the woman happy to see she had not lost all her imagination and playfulness.

"Here!" the girl exclaimed, "Lilacs, or more specifically _purple_ lilacs, symbolize the _first emotions of love!"_ she read wistfully.

Jane's ears turned bright red.

So amusing was the scene that Mrs Gardiner couldn't help but give a light chuckle as her eldest niece tried desperately to get Catherine to stop reading.

Completely ignoring her sister, Kitty carried on in search of the second flower species, "Now, Orange Blossoms!"

Coming to a stop a few seconds later Catherine gave Jane a scandalized look and waggled her eyebrows.

"What? What is it?" Jane asked, almost too shy to know the answer, but her curiosity eventually getting the better of her.

"I am now entirely sure the Viscount knows exactly what the flowers mean," Kitty said mysteriously.

"Oh do tell, Catherine!" Mrs Gardiner said with a laugh, her own curiosity now becoming apparent.

" _Orange Blossoms, both fragrant and beautiful,"_ Kitty read, " _are presented to imply 'the receiver's purity equals their loveliness.'"_

"I must say I agree with Catherine, my dear," Mrs Gardiner said playfully, "I cannot imagine such accurately symbolic flowers were sent to you by mistake. I suppose the Viscount is simply smitten."

"Aunt!" Jane exclaimed in a scandalized tone, peeking out at the two giggling women from between her fingers.

"You can't very well deny it, now can you? Perhaps you ought to simply ask the Viscount what he meant!"

"I could never," Jane replied, shaking her head furiously.

"Then someone else will have to do it!" Kitty said mischievously, as a look of horror crossed her sister's face.

"Now, Catherine, I believe it is best if you leave Jane to do and say what she sees fit when it comes to the Viscount, my dear," Mrs Gardiner said gently, seeing Jane was on the edge of despair.

"Oh very well, then," Kitty said grouchily, "but it would have been infinitely more fun to find out!"

"Thank you, aunt," Jane said meekly, turning to her sister who had recovered from her short-lived tantrum, "If I do gain the courage to ask, you shall be the first to know the answer, Catherine."

Whether it was Jane's compromise or the fact that she had, for the first time, called her by her given name, Kitty gave a sudden bright smile and jumped up to give her sister a crushing hug.

"Thank you," she said as she stepped back and hurried over to her art, the book of flowers having inspired her for a new piece that just _couldn't_ wait to be put on paper.

* * *

In Kent, Elizabeth was having a much deserved, spectacularly happy day. Thanks to Fitzwilliam's forethought and consideration, Charlotte had convinced Mr Collins he would need to be at Rosings for much of the day to ensure Lady Catherine was returned to good spirits. Never one to argue against an idea that, to him, seemed appealing, he had disappeared from the house at the early hour of 9 in the morning. Thus he was nowhere to be found when Elizabeth emerged from her bedroom, having at last completed letters to Jane, her aunt, and Georgiana regarding her earlier return to London.

Mr Darcy arrived at the parsonage sometime before ten, a basket strapped to Achilles saddle. In a rare show of cordial sociability, the gentleman had arranged for a picnic with Anne, Charlotte, and Maria, in attendance as well.

Thankfully, the day had turned out relatively warm and sunny and the three women made their way out of the house to greet the gentleman, a basket of their own - filled with food and an enormous blanket - swinging between them.

"Good morning Elizabeth, Mrs Collins, Miss Maria," Fitzwilliam said pleasantly, surprising the latter two women with his friendly tone.

"Good morning, Mr Darcy," Maria called out, her surprise at being addressed by the formidable man momentarily making her lose her usual shyness.

The party had only just set off when Maria let out a loud 'oh dear' and sprinted back towards the parsonage, calling out she had forgotten to bring her pelisse.

As they waited Elizabeth stepped closer to Fitzwilliam and whispered, "I know you do not enjoy the company of strangers, but I appreciate this more than you may know."

"You know I'll do anything for you, Lizzy," was his only reply, accompanied by a smile and what Elizabeth _thought_ might have been a wink.

With Maria finally back, the little group set off towards the border of Rosings, Achilles having safely been let loose in a field near the parsonage.

* * *

Meeting Anne and Mrs Jenkinson at the appointed spot – a sunny patch of grass surrounded by large trees - Elizabeth and Charlotte hurriedly spread out a thick blanket and set out the food they had. It was only when Mr Darcy set down the basket he had been carrying that Maria rushed over to inspect its contents. Beside chocolate rolls, which to the Collinses and Lucases were an unattainable delicacy, there was a small bowl of sugared almonds, and a large pile of gingerbread tucked neatly into a corner. Fresh fruit also featured, although Mr Darcy had been unable to obtain a large variety at such short notice. Nonetheless, Maria was ecstatic and could barely wait to get her hands on the chocolate, of which she had often heard but never even come within viewing distance.

"Where in the world did you find all of this?" Lizzy asked curiously, once everyone had taken their seats and Anne was well and truly occupied in conversation with Charlotte.

"I am very well acquainted with my aunt's chef, a Frenchman, who I myself recommended for her employ. He's a rather extravagant, eccentric man, but was _quite_ happy to set aside some treats, and I thought young Miss Maria would enjoy a small change in her menu."

"Well, there is quite obviously no argument against your assumption," Elizabeth said with a small chuckle, watching as the young girl piled her plate full of the rich sweets.

"Is that whispering I hear?" Anne asked cheekily, giving her cousin a disapproving glare.

"Yes, Lady Anne," Fitzwilliam replied almost instantly, a teasing look on his face.

Anne's shock at his joking reply was short-lived, and suddenly she burst into loud, delighted laughter.

"Elizabeth, I cannot for the life of me begin to understand how you have made such a change in my sullen old cousin!" she exclaimed.

Ignoring the fact that Anne had apparently decided to drop formalities between them, Lizzy replied with a grin, "I believe he merely needed someone to remind him a little happiness would not kill him."

Looking over at Fitzwilliam, who was awkwardly seated on the ground beside her, Elizabeth noticed the small tug at the corners of his lips as he tried his best not to smile.

"Well, I believe it is nothing short of a miracle!" Anne exclaimed.

* * *

Conversation flowed freely within the group as the morning progressed into the afternoon. It was only when Anne caught a glimpse of the sun's position in the sky that she hurriedly arose.

"I do hope you shall excuse me, but I fear my mother will send the hounds after me if I do not soon return," she said as she steadied herself against a nearby tree-trunk. Although the fresh air had seemed to breathe new life into her, she still moved rather shakily as she called out to Mrs Jenkinson who had dozed off in the warm sun.

"Lucius seems to be impatient to leave as well," she observed, finally reaching the pony that seemed eager to be free of his harness.

"Cousin, it was quite a brilliant idea to have a picnic. It seems Elizabeth has even made you more considerate," Anne called out, turning to her cousin.

"I would have suggested she come stay at Rosings for a while and work her magical spells on my mother, but I doubt it would be very enjoyable for any of us," she said glancing around the group.

Before anyone could make a reply she gathered her reticule and parasol and, with Mrs Jenkinson's help, hoisted herself onto the pony cart.

"Adieu, mes amis!" she called out dramatically as little Lucius immediately sprang into a quick trot.

"Well!" Elizabeth exclaimed with an amused smile, watching the cart go bouncing down the road.

"She is quite something, is she not?" Fitzwilliam said quietly.

"It is the first time I've seen her in such good spirits," Charlotte commented.

"Perhaps it is the sunshine and fresh air."

"Or simply the excellent company," Fitzwilliam whispered, his words meant only for Elizabeth's ears.

Noticing the moment shared between the couple had somewhat enveloped them in their own little universe, Charlotte gestured to Maria. Slowly arising she began collecting the remains of the picnic with her sister's help and, with a sincere 'thank you' to Mr Darcy, the two set off towards the parsonage, baskets in hand.

Elizabeth called out that she would not be long, at which Charlotte merely gave a disbelieving grin and forbade Maria from mentioning the two had been left without a chaperone.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hey, hey! Just dropping in to post this chapter.

Unfortunately, I don't have much time to reply to reviews today, but I promise I will get to them all in the next update!

ALSO, the 'flower dictionary - Kitty was talking about does actually exist, it was only published quite a few years later. It was actually written by a French woman who had married a Turk, and it sparked a huge craze for floriography - or flower messages/symbolism/etc. I just used a little creative freedom and supposed Mr Winthrope had gotten his hands on an earlier, unpublished version or something of the like!

ALSO, if you're wondering about the propriety of an unmarried man sending Jane flowers when they are not engaged or even officially a couple, I did some extensive research on St Valentine's day traditions in Regency England and apparently flowers, notes, and cards exchanged between single men and women were actually allowed, but only on the 14th. Strange isn't it? As if nothing improper could possibly happen in a day! xD

Anyhoo, I must be off but the next chapter is already in the works so let's hope I get it done in good time!

Cheerio!


	47. Middle Name: Mischief

"Mrs Collins seems to be almost as much of an enabler as my cousin," Fitzwilliam commented, at last stretching himself out onto the blanket and lying on his side as he reached for Elizabeth's hand.

"She may seem sensible and reserved, but I assure you that is only one side of her," Lizzy replied with a smile.

"Thank goodness for that," Darcy whispered, pulling Elizabeth down for a kiss.

Pulling back and planting a playful peck on Fitzwilliam's nose, she turned to her reticule and said, "I may be mistaken but today _is_ St Valentine's, is it not?"

"Truly!" Darcy exclaimed in mock surprise, lying back and turning his gaze upon the clouds.

"And as such, I have brought you a gift, something incredibly dear to me, that I wish you to have," she said, turning toward him and placing a worn book on his chest.

Waiting expectantly, she smiled as he sat up, a puzzled look upon his face.

"Elizabeth, I do not need gifts to-" he stopped short as he noticed the book had no title and seemed to be quite a few years old.

As he opened it to the first page, Lizzy shyly explained, "When I turned thirteen, I decided I would be a writer. That very day I set off to the little stationery shop in Meryton and, with all the money I had saved the previous year, I bought this book within which I was sure I would soon be penning verse to rival Shakespeare's."

Fitzwilliam smiled as he read the inscription.

"As you may have guessed, I never put pen to paper – no idea ever seemed worthy of being explored – until a few months ago when I finally found the message you'd left me in _Hamlet_."

Moving onto her knees Elizabeth rested against Fitzwilliam's back as she glanced at the page from over his shoulder.

"I copied the exact words you'd underlined onto the very first page, the first page of a brand new chapter of my life, and every day since, whenever I found a new reason to fall in love with you, I noted it down," she said quietly as Fitzwilliam continued to read, completely absorbed by the words she had written.

"For now it is yours, but once we are married, once I come to live at Pemberley, I want you to keep it somewhere I can have access to it, so I can add to it whenever the opportunity presents itself. If I were to write every last reason here I'm afraid I would need an infinite number of pages, but our argument yesterday made me realize that I am often too quick to judge, too quick to lose my temper. Despite that my feelings for you will never change and I want you to always have proof of just how much, and exactly why, I am madly, uncontrollably in love with you."

"Elizabeth, this is –" Fitzwilliam fell quiet, unable to find the right words.

"You've rendered me speechless," he whispered a few moments later, pulling her close and placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"A feat I was quite sure was nigh impossible," she replied jokingly, trying to lighten the conversation, but Fitzwilliam would have none of it.

Placing a kiss first on her neck, then her shoulder, he asked, "What have I ever done to deserve you?"

"It is _I_ who should be asking myself that question," she replied with a gentle smile, not entirely sure how to respond to Fitzwilliam's words.

Taking the journal in his hands once again, he couldn't help but sigh, "I fear all my future gifts have been rendered lacklustre," he said tracing the creased leather of the book's cover.

"I cannot imagine that could ever be possible, Fitzwilliam," she said, toying with the ring on her finger, "You have already given me so much, I feel as though I will forever be indebted –"

"Not a word, Elizabeth," Darcy said in warning, "I never want to hear you say anything remotely similar to that ever again. Whatever I have, whatever I own, will soon be yours, is yours – I want you to promise never to speak of debts to me or my family for the remainder of your life."

"So very demanding, sir!" Lizzy said cheekily, but added, "I promise."

"Very good," Fitzwilliam said with a smile, running his fingers up her arm and smiling in satisfaction as she shivered slightly.

* * *

The next few minutes were occupied by many pleasant moments and very little conversation, though neither felt the need to object to the other's attentions.

"I love you, my dearest Lizzy" Fitzwilliam whispered as they finally broke apart, both panting desperately for air.

Elizabeth stayed silent for a few moments, gently wiping the loose strands of hair from his face as she committed his every feature to memory.

"I often think love is too mild a word. A blazing fire, or perhaps a thunderstorm - overwhelming fear but also indescribable joy – would be far more accurate, yet it makes for the most intensely confusing set of emotions I have ever felt."

Silence reigned between the two, both Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth too preoccupied with their own tumultuous thoughts, and neither feeling the need to speak.

* * *

It was a good time later that Darcy, at last, broke the silence, "Lizzy, darling, I have something to ask of you," he said hesitantly, sitting up a little straighter as Elizabeth faced him in expectation.

"I realize it may be of immense inconvenience to you, and even more so your sister, but I would like to invite Charles to our wedding. His sister will most probably join him, and I agree she is unpleasant at the best of times, but he is the closest thing I've had to a friend for many years and it would be a great insult if he was excluded from our nuptials."

Elizabeth said nothing for a full minute, and then gave as much of a smile as she could manage, "I have no objections to either of the Bingley siblings attending our wedding, William, and even though it may cause some awkwardness for my sister I have it on good authority that it will no longer pain her as much as it once did."

"Truly?" Fitzwilliam grunted, adjusting his seating position.

"Indeed! I would not usually share Jane's news with anyone, but you, my dearest, most demanding sir, have earned your title as an exception," she said with a laugh, lightly poking his arm. "Apparently your cousin - Viscount Fitzwilliam, not the Colonel – has somewhat declared his intention to court her, or at least further their acquaintance for the time being."

"Andrew and Jane?" he inquired, "I suppose I should have expected such a pairing to occur as their personalities are very much suited," he assessed, and then added, "I certainly wish them all the happiness in the world, although I doubt that would be possible as it is already mine!" he retorted teasingly, stealing another kiss as Elizabeth gave a small chuckle at his playfulness.

" _Mr Darcy_ I am quite astonished at your behaviour today! Saccharine flattery! Teasing! I fear I have been a terrible influence on you," she said, mimicking Lady Catherine's tone.

" _Oh please, no_ ," Fitzwilliam groaned, "Elizabeth, you are the most tempting, most beguiling woman in my acquaintance but please, swear to me you will never again imitate my aunt. I have had more than enough of her for the remainder of the year!"

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh gleefully, "Oh very well, then!" she said, shaking her head in amusement.

"Now I believe I best be making my way back to Hunsford, my dear," Elizabeth said determinedly, getting up and placing a kiss on the top of Fitzwilliam's head.

"Do inform Mrs Collins I am not at all pleased that my fiancée is abandoning me for her," Fitzwilliam said cheekily, getting up and pulling Elizabeth back against him from behind.

Placing a lingering kiss on her neck, he whispered, "It is not too long now, Lizzy, until you shall finally be my wife and I will have everything I could ever want in this world."

"I shall tell Charlotte nothing of the sort," Elizabeth declared, "and you, sir, encumbering my movement."

"Very well," Fitzwilliam conceded, letting his giggling captive free.

"I suppose I ought to expect a visit from you on the morrow," Lizzy inquired, placing a quick peck on her betrothed's lips.

"Unquestionably," was Fitzwilliam's only reply as he claimed another, much longer, kiss.

"Now I really must go, William," Lizzy breathed heavily when she finally pulled away for air.

"Be safe," was his only reply as he released his grip around her waist and watched as she gathered the blanket from the floor grabbed her reticule and stalked off through the trees.

Despite the fact that Fitzwilliam would much rather have accompanied her to the parsonage, he also sensed that she sometimes craved a little independence, and letting her romp about the countryside alone, as she always had, was his way of providing her with that freedom.

* * *

In London, the clock hand was inching closer to 5, and Catherine had almost given up all hope.

Suddenly the maid swung open the doors of the drawing room and announced Mr Martin's arrival. Having missed his knock on the door, Catherine's surprise was visible but did in no way detract from her happiness.

"Miss Catherine, Miss Jane," he said as he entered, bowing to the only two ladies remaining in the room.

Jane arose and gave a small curtsey, trying her best not to distract his attention from Catherine in any way. Thankfully nothing Jane could have said or done could prevent the young man from catching sight of Kitty, and the painting behind her.

"Why this is spectacular!" he exclaimed, hurrying over to it in awe and examining the detailing she had added during the course of the afternoon.

"It is unlike anything I have ever laid eyes on!" he said in admiration, turning to Kitty who was smiling brightly as she stood beside him.

"That is very high praise, sir," she said quietly, her shyness momentarily returning.

"And you most certainly deserve it," he said sincerely and flashed a quick smile.

"Have you been well?" he asked, his attention now focused fully on the blushing girl before him.

"Yes, thank you kindly for asking. And yourself, sir?" she queried, trying to think of the right way to approach the presentation of her gift.

"I, well," he said clearing his throat rather nervously, "I have been busy with a piece, something very special to me, that I, uh –" he stopped, turning to the letter case he had placed on the table beside him. Rather hesitantly he removed a small canvas, about the size of a book, on which he had painted none other but Catherine herself.

"Oh!" she exclaimed upon catching sight of it, "Why, it's beautiful!"

"I added the last details this morning and unfortunately had to wait for the pigment to dry before visiting. I despaired that I would have to wait until the morning."

Placing it in Catherine's hands the young man gazed upon her face and tried to gauge her reaction.

"You have made me more beautiful than I am," Catherine whispered, glancing upwards for a split second before once more lowering her eyes.

"That is impossible, Catherine," he murmured, and gave a shy smile as he noticed her cheeks turn bright red.

Jane debated on whether or not to interrupt but decided nothing improper had happened and there was, therefore, no reason to separate the two.

"I'm afraid my gift won't quite measure up to this," Kitty said with a sigh, turning to the table and leaning over to pick up a piece of parchment on which she had painted the seaside in Brighton, with a small boy and a telescope standing on the pebbly beach.

Immediately the young man fell entirely silent, his reply lost to the emotions the image awakened.

"I," he stammered, "it is so beautiful! I, I can almost imagine the smell of the sea and the feeling of the wind rippling through my clothing."

"It must be wonderful," Catherine wistfully responded.

"Have you never been to the beach? To the sea?" he asked in astonishment.

"Never, sir."

"Why that is unacceptable!" he exclaimed, "I must take you to see Brighton someday!"

Immediately Kitty hid her face in her hands as she blushed bright red at the implication of his words.

"My sister, Elizabeth, has promised to take us all to the sea one day soon, sir," Jane called out, feeling things had become too intense between the two.

"Ah, yes, of course," the young man stuttered, realizing his mistake.

"Would you like some tea?" Catherine interrupted, attempting to ease the gentleman's embarrassment.

"That would be lovely, Miss Catherine," he affirmed with a coy smile, taking his seat in the opposite corner from Jane, and engaging her in a discussion of the seaside and what she most looked forward to seeing.

Mr Martin could not stay very long that day, unfortunately, the late hour of his arrival cutting short his visit, but he promised Catherine he would see her again the following week and left with a small bow to Jane, and a kiss placed warmly on Catherine's hand.

Jane could see the glowing smile on her sister's face, and it pleased her to see the joy the young man obviously brought her.

* * *

Lydia had spent her dinner eating very little and hoping her fabricated symptoms of a headache and nausea would allow her to retire as early as possible. Thankfully Mr and Mrs Gardiner had their hands full with the children that evening and so not even a second thought was given to the fact that Lydia was the image of health despite her dramatic claims.

* * *

Her second escape from the house proved far easier, even though it was much darker this time, and so, plopping lightly to the ground she trotted out to the street and kept to the shadows as she walked.

 _Edward better have heeded my message,_ she thought determinedly as she hurried along.

 _If he's too doltish to understand such a simple letter he shan't be of use anyway._

Stalking down the street in near complete darkness proved to be slightly more of a challenge than Lydia had expected, and the cold wind blowing against her seemed to chill her to the bone despite the thick layers she had donned. As she walked she couldn't help feel a little uneasy, her subconscious voice screaming out in fear and nervousness. She had never been alone outside after dark, not even in Hertfordshire where nothing amiss ever happened. As she stumbled along, bumping into things here and there, and cursing the fact that she had not brought a lamp, she set out her plan in her head.

At last rounding the corner of the street she saw a tall, muscular young man leaning against a rusted lamp pole, his face illuminated for no more than a second by the flickering light above him.

"Edward!" she hissed as she rushed towards him.

"Lydia, what the **devil** has gotten into you?" he replied, both annoyed and slightly worried.

"Thank all things holy you realized I had sent the letter!" Lydia said haughtily, trying to downplay her own nerves that were subsiding rapidly in the presence of a somewhat friendly face.

"You haven't answered my question!" the Duke sighed angrily.

"I have found a way to earn some money, Edward. Do you not like money? Do you not _want_ money?" she inquired in annoyance, angry that she had not been greeted in the way she had hoped – with eager excitement and enraptured attention.

"Of course, but did you absolutely have to arrange for us to meet on such a godforsaken street as this?"

" _This street_ , Your-Most-Supercilious-Grace, happens to be where I live," she said angrily, crossing her arms and staring at the Duke with a raised brow.

"Oh, I, I apologize," the Duke stuttered slightly.

"Never mind it, I have something we must discuss this instant and I cannot delay my return home by too long," she said, pulling out the letter she had found in the church from her glove.

"What is it then?" Edward asked curiously.

"This," she said, handing him the paper and watching as he squinted to read its message, "fell from Mr Thomas Lowland's pocket in Church Sunday last."

As the Duke read a small smile began to form on his face.

"This! This is worth more than ten times its weight in gold, Lydia," the Duke said elatedly as she snatched the paper from his hands.

"I shan't steal it from you, I assure you," the Duke chuckled, noticing the tight grip the girl held on the letter.

"And I **assure** you I do not trust men," she said with a grin, mimicking the Duke's tone.

Edward gave a sigh of slight exasperation.

"And how exactly do you plan on presenting what I assume is a well thought out proposal to that fool Lowland?"

"I need you to take me to the club he frequents tomorrow evening. From there I simply need you to act as an observer, an innocent bystander and ensure nothing remiss occurs during the meeting. I shall simply propose a trade. Fifty pounds for the letter, and that shall be the end of it!"

" **Fifty pounds!"** the Duke exclaimed in disbelief, "My dear, naïve little girl, that piece of paper you so wantonly secrete in your glove is worth at least two hundred and fifty pounds to Thomas."

"Impossible!" Lydia cried although an icy shiver of excitement at such a possibility ran down her spine.

"You do not understand," Edward explained, "Thomas Lowland is one of the most respected Tories in London – a staunch supporter of the church, and a publicly deeply conservative man. If this letter was made public his reputation would be entirely squandered. His wealthy friends would shun him, despite the fact that they themselves are twenty times more unfaithful than he."

"Are you entirely certain? Two-hundred-and-fifty pounds?" Lydia whispered in awe, a million possibilities running through her mind.

"Minimum."

"And how shall we share the profit?" she asked, running her hands up and down her arms as mist formed from her breath.

"Half for each of us, would that not be fair?"

" **Half!"** Lydia exclaimed incredulously, "I found the letter, I thought of the plan, without me you would have no leverage!"

"Perhaps, but without _me_ , you would have ended up with only fifty-pounds," the Duke replied with a light chuckle and a shake of his head.

"Very well then," Lydia sighed in annoyance and rolled her eyes, "One hundred and twenty-five each. But that is not the end of my plan."

"Truly?"

"Yes, once we have received the money I will lend you seventy-five pounds and you will use what I have taught you thus far to win more at cards."

"I am not so certain of that, Lydia. It was through playing cards that I lost all my money. My family has only allowed me to use their London home in pity."

Lydia could see the man was internally debating, but she had confidence that, with a little more instruction, he would do exceptionally well.

"Well, why do we not simply attempt it? If you lose the money then we never attempt such a plan again, but if you win, we continue until you have earned back enough money to, perhaps, make amends with your family."

"That is nigh impossible, Lydia," the Duke laughed in exasperation.

"How much have you lost?"

"Well over a hundred thousand pounds."

The girl immediately became deathly pale, "A _hundred_ thousand pounds?" she nearly whispered, her mind unable to imagine that such an amount could ever be 'lost'.

"I still owe a total of forty-seven-thousand-nine-hundred-and-twelve pounds to various men here in London."

" _Non-compos mentis!"_ Lydia cried, holding her head with both hands.

"But I am willing to follow your plan. I may not win back everything I have lost but at this moment _anything_ will help."

"Very well," the girl sighed, still slightly dazed at the sum the Duke had mentioned.

"I will meet you here with my carriage tomorrow, then," Edward concluded, "Around nine o'clock should be suitable. Thomas spends most of his nights at the club and will not leave for home until after ten."

"I shall be here," Lydia said determinedly, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders and preparing to return home.

"Here, take this," the young man said, holding out the lamp towards her, "My carriage is just down the street so I shan't be needing it."

"Thank you," the girl muttered, unwilling to admit her relief at being offered some form of light for her homeward journey.

"Good night, Lydia," the Duke called out as the girl began her trek. Not a word was cried in response.

* * *

Thanks to the lamp Lydia made it home in much better time and, finding the Kitchen door still open as she had jammed a piece of cloth in one of the hinges, she slipped into the house and hurried upstairs, hearing laughter coming from the drawing room and smiling at herself in satisfaction.

She had made it without being caught, and the thrill was just absolutely delicious.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**

It's been such ages and I feel like I owe you all a MASSIVE apology for disappearing without a trace.

I just got a bit tired of writing every day, and then I thought 'I don't want to keep apologizing for not posting on time' so I decided I would finish at least 10 chapters ahead before I updated the story again, so you wouldn't ever have to wait such ages ever again!

I hope you aren't all too mad at me to enjoy the chapter, and I'm really happy to be back at it again - writing and posting has become fun again, so YAY!

ALSO(!) **THANK YOUUUUUUU** for sticking around, I really appreciate that you guys have put up with my sporadic posting schedule!

Cheerio, and now I can confidently say the next chapter is coming soon!

Sammy


	48. Something Roguish This Way Comes

_Saturday, February 15th, 1812_

Saturday morning brought a very cheerful, very chipper group of young women to breakfast in the Gardiners' dining room.

Each of the Bennet girls had their own reasons to be pleased with their situations that day – Mary rejoiced in the knowledge that she would soon no longer have to hide her engagement to Mr Ferrars, Jane reveled in the knowledge that the Viscount had thought of her often enough to arrange for flowers to be sent for her, and Kitty could not wipe her smile from her face nor could she rid herself of the fluttering feeling in her stomach or the urge to constantly run to her room and gaze upon the portrait Mr Martin had painted.

Lydia, who had been in a foul mood for much of the week, seemed to have become a different person. She was kind, helpful, and never once made fun of Mary's dress, Jane's embroidery, or Catherine's knowledge of French. Mrs Gardiner's suspicions were somewhat aroused, but in an attempt to maintain the girl's pleasant disposition she said nothing of the change in her behaviour.

"I have received a letter from your father this morning, girls," Mr Gardiner said, glancing over his spectacles and taking in the smiling faces turned toward him in expectation.

"He has informed me that himself and your mother are once more ready to receive you at home in Meryton. He insists he misses you all very much and is eager to hear from each of you. I would suggest you use some of your time today to write to him, as I can sense he would appreciate it greatly."

"We most certainly shall do so, uncle," Jane replied quietly, glancing at each of her younger sisters as they agreed with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

"Excellent," the smiling man grunted and returned his attention to the pile of papers lying beside him as he sipped on his tea.

"And have you decided on the dresses you are to wear to the theatre this evening? Lady Matlock said she invited Georgiana as well, so I am sure you will not grow bored, Kitty, Lydia," Marianne commented.

"I shall certainly don my dark blue and beige ensemble, it does do _such_ wonders for my skin tone," Lydia immediately exclaimed, hoping her obvious excitement for the evening's activities would make her sadness at once more retiring to her room with a headache and missing the outing much more believable.

"I shall wear my pastel gown," Kitty said, quietly hoping Mr Martin would be in attendance too.

"It suits you beautifully, dearest," Jane responded sincerely. With Elizabeth in Kent, she had grown much closer to Catherine and this had become evident in the way Kitty seemed to seek her sister's approval in many of her choices.

"That sounds splendid, my girls," Mrs Gardiner smiled, knowing full well Mary was buried far too deep in her latest book to give the conversation any real attention.

" _The School for Scandal_ is being performed and I cannot **believe** I shall truly get to see it!" Catherine exclaimed, after excitedly swallowing her last bite of pastry.

"Miss Halifax mentioned it was showing and I had heard such brilliant reviews I was quite in despair at not being given the chance to watch it myself!"

"Well it was very kind of Lady Matlock to invite us, at the Viscount's request of course," Mrs Gardiner said teasingly as she glanced in Jane's direction.

The young woman did her best to act as if she had not noticed her aunt's suggestive look, but the pink tinge of her cheeks gave away her embarrassment almost immediately.

* * *

In Kent, Elizabeth was occupied in a rather strange task. Having heard from Mrs Baudelaire that her dresses and other accessories would soon be ready for their final fitting, Elizabeth had taken it upon herself to bestow several of the dresses she had brought with her from London on her good friend Charlotte.

At first, Mrs Collins had been flabbergasted at the idea of receiving, in one day, not one, not two, not three, but _four_ outfits from Lizzy – one never even having been worn before.

Elizabeth would never mention it, but she had arranged for the dress to be made as a wedding gift to Charlotte. Due to the rather hurried nature of the wedding, however, it had only been ready several days after.

"Oh Lizzy, where in the world do you suppose I shall be wearing this to?" Charlotte sighed, holding up a stylish, lilac frock.

"Why, to Pemberley, of course!" Elizabeth smiled, "I have had Fitzwilliam arrange for a carriage to collect you and my cousin on the twenty-fourth of March. That way you shall be present for all the last minute arrangements, and the hair pulling and screeching I am sure my mother shall induce upon us all!"

"You do make it sound **_so_** appealing," Charlotte retorted sarcastically.

With the transfer of ownership of the dresses completed, Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Maria set off to adjust the sizing and hems of each. Elizabeth had a much slimmer frame and despite the fact that both women were the same length the tailoring proved to be quite a time-consuming occupation.

"I can understand now why modistes ask such exorbitant amounts of money for a simple dress!" Maria complained, after having been seated for more than two hours and still struggling to let out some of the material.

"It is rather dreary work, is it not?" Elizabeth agreed, and arose to pour each of the women, what she was sure was their fifth cup of tea.

"I am simply surprised Mr Darcy has not yet arrived and insisted on helping us sew!" Charlotte called out with a laugh.

"Whyever would you imagine he'd do that?" Elizabeth inquired amusedly, setting the tea down beside her friend and retaking her earlier position, hovering over the lilac gown.

"Do not tell me you have not yet realized the gentleman is entirely under your spell!" Charlotte retorted.

"Under my spell? I am _not_ a fairy, Charlotte," Elizabeth laughed, rolling her eyes slightly.

"Perhaps someone should inform Mr Darcy of the fact!" Charlotte chuckled, "I have never in my life seen a man so besotted, so enamoured by a woman. I honestly believe, like King Ahasuerus, he would offer you half his kingdom if he had as much to offer."

Elizabeth's ears turned red, but she managed to let out a _'hmph'_ in disagreement.

"And don't you dare go disagreeing with me Elizabeth Bennet!" Charlotte playfully reprimanded, "I am a married woman, and therefore I know everything!" she added jokingly.

"Oh dear, now you sound exactly like my mother!" Elizabeth groaned.

"Have you heard from her recently?"

"Only to remind me I shall have to return to Longbourn soon, and that I cannot abandon her, or exclude her from my wedding arrangements."

"Ah, and how does it go with said arrangements?" Charlotte asked curiously, noticing Mrs Bennet was still a sore subject for Lizzy and thus doing her best to change the subject.

"I suppose it is going very well! Although I did receive a list from Lady Matlock with the names of all the people I am to invite, and it is in excess of fifty people! **Fifty people,** Charlotte!" she exclaimed in exasperation. "Where in the world will they all stay? How shall we entertain them all?"

"I am certain Pemberley is large enough to accommodate them, Lizzy," Charlotte reassured her.

"I hope so! I cannot believe I will be moving to a part of England I have never seen, and be mistress of a household I have never met, and estate I have never even set eyes upon. And I am expected to adjust to it all in just a week! I have a week before the wedding and that is it!"

"Calm down, Lizzy, it will all work out for the best," Charlotte chuckled, noticing the frazzled look on her friend's face.

"And just in time!" Charlotte exclaimed with a sigh of relief, arising from her seat, "Mr Darcy is here to reassure you, as I seem to have no luck doing so myself."

Elizabeth immediately plastered a smile on her face and followed her friend to the door.

"Mr Darcy, what excellent timing you have, sir!" Charlotte called, with a cheeky look in Elizabeth's direction.

"Mrs Collins, Elizabeth," the gentleman said in greeting, bowing slightly.

"I believe Elizabeth is in need of some fresh air, sir, so may I suggest a walk about the parsonage's garden? I am sure I shall be an excellent chaperone from my perch at the window."

Mr Darcy didn't need to be prompted twice, knowing full well the window Charlotte referred to had absolutely no view of the garden behind the house.

"An excellent suggestion, ma'am," he said, grabbing Elizabeth's hand and pulling her from the house with a grin.

* * *

"I shall have to thank Mrs Collins in some way, Elizabeth," he said, leading the smiling woman around the house.

"I agree wholeheartedly," Elizabeth giggled as Fitzwilliam pushed her up against the side of the house and began plastering her face with kisses.

"Now, sir," Elizabeth gasped as Fitzwilliam moved to her neck, "you seem to be quite pleased with life today."

"Very much so," Darcy whispered in agreement.

Realizing Fitzwilliam would give her no opportunity to speak, Elizabeth gathered up the slight boost of courage she needed, cupped the side of Fitzwilliam's face with one hand, and placed a lingering, warm kiss on the side of his neck.

Immediately his actions slowed. Seeing her idea was somewhat working, she continued planting kisses along his neck, working her way upwards. Impulsively, her lips moved to the lobe of his ear and, without a moment's hesitation, she pulled on it lightly with her teeth.

The effect in Fitzwilliam was palpable. A shudder ran through him, and he leaned closer to Elizabeth, pushing her body firmly against the wall.

Capturing her gaze with his own, he returned his attention to her mouth. Between each kiss he whispered, "Where – did – you – learn – that – my – temptress?"

"I didn't," Elizabeth whispered headily, Fitzwilliam's proximity greatly disrupting her equilibrium, "I just knew."

Pulling away from the wall, Fitzwilliam snaked his arms around her body and, wiping a curl from her forehead, he said, "Every day you try my patience to an even greater extent, my beautiful Lizzy."

"Is that not the purpose of a wife? I would expect you to be pleased!" Elizabeth teased.

"Not _that_ sort of patience," Fitzwilliam huffed, as Lizzy gave a light laugh.

"I have been meaning to ask you something, my love," Elizabeth whispered, running her fingers slowly down his chest.

"Yes," Fitzwilliam said in agreement, his eyes having fallen shut at her touch, "You can."

"I haven't even made my request known yet, Fitzwilliam," she said disapprovingly and laughed as his eyes shot open and he returned his attention to her face.

"I wanted to know what exactly my duties shall be as Mistress of Pemberley," she said quietly, scanning his face.

" _Hm,_ they shall be whatever you wish them to be, my dear. I would wish you to do nothing but be near me all day, but I do not imagine that would be at all healthy for either of us."

"William, I'm serious," Elizabeth said amusedly.

"I mean it, Elizabeth," he replied, his expression once more becoming earnest, "I will impose nothing on you, nor will I prohibit you from anything you may wish to do. Mrs Reynolds has fulfilled all the duties of housekeeper and host for many years, so I do not see why you should do anything you do not _want_ to do."

"But I cannot simply be idle all day."

"Then you may assist me in my work, or see to menus, or - and I cannot believe I am about to say such a thing - entertain guests. Perhaps you would prefer visiting tenants or seeing to the estate paperwork, or maybe you will enjoy a gardening or building or refurnishing project. Whatever your heart desires, you may do, Elizabeth. All I ask is that you make me part of whatever it is you choose, as I cannot fathom having you run off for days on end, leaving me to my office and work all day." Fitzwilliam couldn't help himself, and so placed another light kiss on his fiancée's forehead.

"I would never be able to do that," Elizabeth whispered, standing on her toes and interlocking both her hands behind his neck.

Her lips were positioned dangerously close to Fitzwilliam's as he broke out into a small smile and closed the distance between them.

* * *

It was almost a full half hour later that Elizabeth slipped back into the house, having shared a prolonged goodbye with Fitzwilliam. He had been invited for dinner the next day, although it promised to be a quiet affair as it was a Sunday. Although he would not admit it to anyone but Elizabeth, he greatly looked forward to returning to London, which would somehow bring him closer to the day of the wedding, and provide him with a chance to see Georgiana and Elizabeth bonding further.

* * *

Lydia had barely touched her dinner. Her sisters and the Gardiners had left almost an hour earlier, and thankfully her lack of appetite only reinforced the maid's belief that the young girl must be very ill as she had forgone both food and entertainment.

Making her way slowly upstairs, and ensuring she would not be bothered for the remainder of the night, the girl prepared herself for the implementation of her plan. She set out the dress she would wear – an old, rather unstylish thing, but warm and not something she would ever be recognized wearing.

A thick shawl, an unseemly bonnet, and her thickest gloves completed her ensemble, and she carefully placed the all-important letter in her reticule along with a sheet of paper on which she had written a rather silly French poem.

It was still a good hour and a half before she would have to leave, so the girl occupied herself with a novel Miss Balette had assigned her and thusly whiled away the time.

* * *

She had _very_ nearly fallen asleep and, was it not for the sound of the book tumbling to the floor, she would have missed her meeting entirely. Suddenly she leaped to her feet, glanced at the clock, and collected her things in a frenzy.

 _Edward will be there in less than a quarter of an hour!_ she thought, hurrying down the stairs and listening out for any servants remaining along the route she had chosen.

Fortunately for her, they had all made their way downstairs to await the theatre party's return, and so her passage to the front door was smooth and uninterrupted.

Slipping out, she held the lamp she had lit earlier up before her and began her journey down the street.

Just as she arrived at the corner, Edward's carriage drew up. It was much larger and grander than anything Lydia had ever ridden in, and she would have thoroughly enjoyed herself – a trip in the Duke's carriage being something she would previously have been ecstatic over – if she was not so incredibly nervous over what she was about to do.

"Are you entirely sure you will be capable of seeing it through, Lydia?" the Duke asked worriedly, glancing at the pale face of the young girl seated opposite him.

"Of course I will!" she scoffed, rather overenthusiastically to make up for her own doubts.

"I would have approached him myself, but I fear he would recognize me immediately and that would be our downfall," the Duke sighed, leaning back in his seat and staring at the roof.

"Fear not, Edward, I will be perfectly fine by myself!"

"Very well, then," he replied, and the carriage fell silent for the rest of the trip.

Drawing up to White's, Lydia found herself having to clamour out of the road-side carriage door and, keeping to the shadows, she hurriedly hid along the side of the building and prepared to keep watch.

It was only some minutes before ten, and she expected quite a long wait, so she leaned against the wall, pulled her shawl further across her face, and settled in.

The Duke had made quite a show of exiting the carriage, greeting several other gentlemen who stood in conversation outside and then finally making his way inside with a nervous look thrown Lydia's way.

Edward knew far better than Lydia what the consequences of being caught for blackmailing would be, although he would mention no such thing to the young woman as it would have only rendered her even more fearful.

* * *

Just a few streets away, the rest of the Bennet sisters were having a marvelous time. Catherine and Georgiana had been seated side by side for much of the night, Catherine whisperingly recounting her interactions with Mr Martin to a wide-eyed Georgiana, and Georgi in return sharing the details of her latest pianoforte pieces.

The Viscount and Jane sat comfortably together, Jane having earlier blushingly thanked the gentleman for the beautiful flowers, at which he simply gave a little bow and placed a very light kiss on her hand.

It was during the third part of the play that his hand had quietly found hers and, although the pink colour of her cheeks would have given her away almost immediately had the room been well lit, Jane could not find it in herself to disentangle her fingers from his own.

The Viscount seemed to be greatly pleased with himself for the rest of the evening, and it was not all that surprising when he inquired whether it would be suitable to see Jane once more that Monday morning.

Although curious to know the reason for his request, Jane simply smiled gently and whispered she would look forward to his company very much.

The rest of the performance played out with the young couple refusing to leave each other's side, or rather the Viscount refusing to leave Jane alone for more than a second, and Jane finding she felt no urge to abandon him either. Many a sideways glance, and not a few blatant stares, was directed at the tall, dark-blonde haired man, who could not take his eyes off the angelic woman beside him. Although his eyes were of a deeper, slightly cloudier shade of blue than the rest of the Fitzwilliam family, Jane could not help but admire his appearance as she glanced his way every now and then throughout the performance. His expression was naturally calm, and his lips turned upwards ever so slightly at their corners.

For the very first time in her life, Jane did not feel scared or intimidated by a suitor. All she could now hope for was that he would declare himself as such.

* * *

It was now well past ten and Lydia had begun to feel impatient. Would the man _never_ leave?

She had only just started to wonder whether it would be wiser to find the Duke and have him return her home when she heard the sound of boots on the stairs running towards the entrance of the club. She was certain it was Mr Lowland, both from his gait and the glimpse she had caught of his face as he stepped out. She would only have one chance to gain the man's attention, and if she failed to do so it would cause quite a disappointing delay in her plans.

Hurrying forward, she reached out her hand and took hold of the gentleman's shoulder, "Please, sir, I ask only a bite to eat!" she half cried, half whispered.

"Get you awa-" the man stopped short, catching sight of the very pretty, very clean girl standing before him.

"You are not a-" he attempted, once more being cut off as Lydia pulled him into the shadows.

"Who the devil do you think you are?" the man exclaimed loudly, wresting his arm from Lydia's hand and moving to step back towards the street.

"I would certainly not do that if I were you, Mr Thomas Lowland," Lydia said calmly, crossing her arms and waiting for the reaction she knew was coming.

"How do you know my name?" he demanded, moving back to where Lydia had pulled him.

"Speak, girl, or I will have my footmen extract the answers from you."

"I have something of yours I believe you would very much like returned, Mr Lowland," Lydia said nonchalantly, ignoring his questions entirely.

"What could you possibly have that could interest me?" the man scoffed, although is curiosity was visibly piqued.

"I do not imagine Alice would be very pleased to know you carelessly throw her letters about," the girl said slyly, watching the colour drain from the man's face.

"I do not know anyone by the name of Alice, girl," he stuttered slightly, as Lydia gave a gleeful smile.

Pulling the letter from her reticule she began to read,

" _Uncertainty is most definitely not the way in which to go about securing a woman's affections even though you may have claimed the rest of her as your own. Do make haste and let us, at last, find a way to be together once more,"_ she ended dramatically and jumped in surprise as the man snatched the paper from her hands.

Tearing it up frantically the gentleman gave a satisfied smile and was just about to call for a footman to detain the girl when Lydia spoke once more.

" _Impatiently, longingly yours, Alice."_

" **What!** " the man exclaimed as Lydia laughingly removed the real letter from her glove and waved it before him.

Just as the man leaped forward once more she quickly slipped the letter back where it came from and shook her head in mock pity.

"Did you truly think I was so incredibly stupid?"

Mr Lowland ignored her taunt and gave a sigh, "What do you want?"

"Three hundred pounds," she replied confidently.

 **"Three hundred pounds!?** " the man asked in disbelief, "Are you mad?"

"Not since the last time I was tested," Lydia said acting slightly insulted, "I simply supposed you did not want the papers to get hold of such a heartfelt, loving letter."

Silence reigned for a minute.

"I have only two-hundred pounds with me," the gentleman said testily.

" _Oh,_ how unfortunate!" Lydia cried in mock despair, "I suppose I shall simply have to keep this little love letter safe until you find the money to pay!"

"And what if I simply take it from you?" Mr Lowland asked, stepping closer to the girl who still did not seem to feel any fear.

"Think carefully now, sir. I was smart enough to outwit you once already, do you not think I have a contingency plan?"

"I can give you two hundred and fifty pounds," the man growled, thinking better of his plan to take the letter by force.

"Do I look like I am a woman to be bargained with?" Lydia asked bluntly, stepping around the gentleman as if she was about to leave.

"Wait," the man said in defeat and pulled a small pouch from his pocket.

Counting out a total of three hundred pounds – more money than Lydia had ever seen in her lifetime – he extended his hand for the letter.

Cautiously the exchange was made - a pouch of jingling coins dropping into Lydia's outstretched hand. In the split second the gentleman took to glance at the letter and verify its authenticity, Lydia disappeared down the street and out of sight.

"Damn it!" the man whispered to himself, his plan to capture the girl now foiled.

Thankfully she had given him the right letter, and although he had lost 300 pounds it was not much more than he had won at cards that evening – only fifteen pounds more to be precise.

Nonetheless, he proceeded to his carriage and onward to his home incredibly embarrassed, very much relieved, and determined to apprehend and punish the mysterious young woman who had taken his money.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Alright! Lydia shan't go scot-free for her actions, I assure you, but for now she has escaped!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and didn't find it too farfetched. I'm trying my best to make her story as realistic as possible while still sticking to the original plan I had set out for her. xD  
Now, ze reviews:

 **Saralee -tfranco** I also thought it would be a very Lizzy gift to give. I can imagine her believing she could do much better than Shakespeare at writing poems and plays! xD

 **KurukiXV -** Great to hear you enjoyed the chapter! Now we just need to see what happens to dear old Lyds.

 **HappyLizzy -** She wouldn't have been allowed into the club, and I thought having her dress up as a man would be a bit farfetched, so this was my her best option.

 **EmlynMara -** Ah yes, the Duke and Lydia seem to lack a moral anything, but they will learn their lessons sooner rather than later.

 **Guest talking about my use of 'saccharine' -** While I admit I have probably made several (many) mistakes with the vocabulary and details of the story (it's not always easy to stay accurate with the time-period lingo), I do try my best to stay true to the Regency Era. A quick Google search shows 'Saccharine' was actually used VERY commonly during the early and mid-1800s. I get that using the wrong word or reference might ruin the flow of the story, but I'm pretty sure you could have asked whether it was right or not in a less Lady Catherine-y manner.

 **Deanna27 -** I don't think Lydia has realized how much trouble she can get into yet! It's bound to be a rather rude awakening.

 **Imbravo -** Haha I love the nickname Lyddie! Was it used in the book? I can't remember! xD

 **tfranco9 -** Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Anyhoo, I shall post again soon, and I promise I'm doing my best to speed the story up just a bit!


	49. We All Have Our Own Little Victories

Lydia had hurried around the corner of a neighbouring building and crouched down behind a large, barren rose bush.

Holding her breath she strained to hear whether Mr Lowland would pursue her, and slowly exhaled after nearly a minute, positive that the gentleman had chosen rather to leave without drawing unnecessary questions.

Stepping out of the shadows and shaking slightly, she tiptoed to the corner of the house and peeked around it. Seeing nothing, she hurried toward the waiting area of the carriages, forcing herself to refrain from running as that would only draw more attention than necessary. Nearing the Duke's carriage she paused and, as quickly as she could, counted out twenty-four pounds.

With the gleaming coins in her hand, and wondering whether it was wise to part with such a large sum, she hurried toward the front of the carriage, where the driver and two footmen lounged lazily, awaiting the call to collect their master.

Stepping up to the three men she plastered a charming smile on her face and, in a show of incredible flattery, she gave a very slight curtsey as they turned their attention towards her.

"Good evening, sirs," she said.

"Good evening, miss," the driver replied, and the two footmen nodded their greeting.

"I have a favour to ask of you," she said, getting straight to the point, "You have, undoubtedly, noticed I accompanied the Duke to the club this evening," the three men grunted in agreement, "and you can imagine that is a piece of information I would not like to become common knowledge."

Three heads nodded again.

"In light of this I was hoping, rather _praying_ you would be so kind as to let such information simply slip your mind," Lydia used her most convincing, seductive tone, and was pleased to see the three men remained completely absorbed in her words.

"Of course, this won't be without a reward!" she smiled, opening her hand to reveal the shiny gold coins, "Eight pounds for each of you gentlemen, all in exchange for simply saying nothing! And if you uphold your side of the agreement, there shall be another such reward for each of you in a fortnight's time."

Three pairs of eyes gleamed at the sight of such riches – more than half a year's salary for each of them.

One of the footmen reached out toward the little pile of coins, and Lydia quickly closed her hand.

"No, no, no," she said with a light laugh, "I must have your agreement to my proposition first, sirs."

"What proposition? I 'aven't seen a girl anywhere," the driver winked, and the two footmen added, "We shan't say a word, miss."

"Very good," Lydia smiled and dropped eight sovereigns in each of the men's outstretched hands.

"Now, I shall be boarding the carriage, as I am sure the Duke shall soon be sending for us all!"

With the help of one of the footmen, the girl clambered into the carriage with much greater ease than she had disembarked. Not more than five minutes later a young boy came running up to the carriage driver and it lurched forward.

Lydia had already counted out a total of two hundred pounds, the Duke's share, and her investment, keeping seventy-six sovereigns for herself. She had agreed to share exactly half of the money with him but decided the excess would be her insurance, as she was giving the Duke more than half of her share to use at cards.

As the carriage slowly rolled towards the entrance of the club, Lydia couldn't help but let out a gleeful laugh, stomping her feet lightly in excitement, as the coins glinted in the light of passing street lamps.

"Did you succeed?" the Duke asked immediately upon entering the carriage and noticing Lydia seated with a smug smile on her face.

"Really now, does my expression not belie my success?" she retorted, "You make me fear my investment shall be squandered if your ability to read expressions is wanting so!"

"Oh can you not simply answer my question, Lydia?" the man asked in exasperation.

The girl held out the coin purse.

"Bloody hell, you truly did it!" the Duke exclaimed, leaning forward and taking the purse from her hand.

"Oh, ye of little faith," Lydia laughed.

"Perhaps before, but now I have all the faith in the world!" he replied, pouring the coins out onto his lap.

"You are magnificent!" the Duke exclaimed ecstatically, "Utterly magnificent!"

"I know," Lydia saucily replied.

"Now, I expect you to update me on the growth of my investment within one week," she continued, returning her attention to the particulars of the Duke's plans, and maintaining as nonchalant a tone as possible.

"Very well!" the Duke smiled, his disbelief still evident in the shake of his head and sparkle in his eye.

"I cannot believe you did it!" he exclaimed after a few moments of silence, grabbing Lydia's face and placing a forceful kiss on the top of her head, as the girl burst out in laughter.

"Really, sir?" she giggled, "Do you so soon lose your belief in my capabilities?"

"That you have not yet swindled every gentleman in London out of a few hundred pounds baffles me, my girl!"

"Ah, but I have only just begun!" Lydia smiled, the rush of adrenaline she had felt at first now leaving her giddy and excited for the possibilities of her future.

* * *

The remainder of the journey to Gracechurch Street was occupied in a similar fashion, although Lydia did pull out a deck of cards halfway there and begin to coach the gentleman in a few finer details she had earlier omitted.

Reaching the corner she had been collected from, the Duke stepped out of the carriage and helped the girl down, tipping his hat and giving a small bow as Lydia disappeared down the street with an amused laugh and a shake of her head.

Reaching the house she took a few minutes to gauge whether or not her family had returned. Seeing the entire house enveloped in darkness she judged they were not yet back, and so hurried once more to the kitchen door, which she had now learned remained open indefinitely.

A minute later she was in her room, stripping off her dress and pulling on her nightgown, her satisfied, excited, gleeful smile not for a second leaving her face.

She counted and recounted her money more than five times that evening, giggling in disbelief all the way. Even though she had given much of it away it was still more than she had ever had, and the constant glinting and shining seemed to hypnotize her.

At last, arising, and pouring the coins into a pouch, then secreting it away within a reticule filled with trinkets and ribbons, she lazily climbed into bed. She would have to be very careful with the manner in which she spent her money. Buying too many nice things would soon raise suspicions, and she still feared Mr Lowland had somehow caught a good look of her face or recognized her somehow.

She would wait until the week before they returned to Meryton, and then she would buy everything her heart desired.

At some point, Lydia had fallen asleep only reawakening when Kitty gingerly slipped into the bed beside her, and even then her eyes did not remain open for more than a few seconds. Her adventure had worn her out and she slept peacefully for the remainder of the night, oblivious to the fact that somewhere in Mayfair a wealthy, angry gentleman, was setting his plan into motion.

* * *

 _Sunday, February 16th, 1812_

The chapel at Lambton felt close to bursting with eager villagers during the Sunday morning service. Mr Collins had taken his stand at the humble podium with much gusto, certain his earnest sermons of truth and duty had attracted them to the source of righteousness, namely himself.

It was fortuitous for both Charlotte and Elizabeth's sanity, however, that the man never found out the true reason for the flocks of people standing, sitting, and crouching in and around the little building.

The main topic of discussion that morning was, of course, Mr Darcy and his betrothed. It would be, perhaps, the only chance any of the residents of Lambton would have to see the couple, and with many of the attendees being tenants who had watched Fitzwilliam grow up over the years, they were eager to meet the young woman and offer their congratulations.

Those who had not yet seen, or met, Elizabeth were astonished by her simple attire and easy manners. Before the service started many young girls had shyly approached her, only to be greeted with a brilliant smile and entirely unintimidating conversation.

Not only was the girl capable of patiently bearing an old lady's prolonged description of the recipe for veal that would 'satisfy her husband upon the first bite', but she seemed incapable of becoming annoyed by the little girls and boys who, out of sheer curiosity for the newcomer had nearly soiled her dress as they tugged at her skirt with their chubby little hands.

Lady Catherine did very little to diminish the people's opinion of Elizabeth. She took her seat with Anne right at the front of the church and refused to let anyone else make use of the pew they occupied. In comparison, and the villagers certainly did compare, Charlotte, Maria, Elizabeth, and Mr Darcy sat somewhere in the middle, and even though Mr Darcy felt incredibly uncomfortable with the constant, curious stares and whispered comments, Elizabeth's hand firmly holding his seemed to provide him the longsuffering he required to endure the service.

Lady Catherine and Anne left as soon as the last 'Amen' had been uttered. Anne had tried to have a word or two with Charlotte and Elizabeth along her way out, but her mother soon grabbed her by the arm and the two women were off.

Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam, although not yet married, were subject to a long procession of men and women who desired to wish them well and, to Elizabeth's surprise, Darcy seemed to be at ease speaking to most of them.

It was nearly an hour after the service had ended that the group of Collinses and Elizabeth made their way back home. Mr Darcy had been given no choice but to bow over Elizabeth's hand, and whisper a hurried goodbye, as her cousin had chosen to keep his eye on the young couple for the remainder of their stay.

Thankfully there were only two days left before they would leave for London and Elizabeth could, hopefully, put the final obstacle before their wedding behind her.

* * *

 _Monday, February 17th, 1812_

The previous day had been dreadfully dull for the Bennet sisters.

Lydia's falsified claims of illness had suddenly become reality, and she found herself bed-ridden with an incredibly annoying sniffle, a throbbing headache, and an abysmal temper. No one dared enter her room, not even the poor maid who had thought a cup of tea would soothe the girl's symptoms.

Kitty had made herself scarce, choosing to work on a dress she had decided to adapt, rather than be subject to her sister's angry retorts all morning.

As she worked her mind wandered back to Mr Martin's shy smile, and his incredibly thoughtful gift, which she had placed proudly on the small dressing table in her room.

 _I wonder if he simply gave me the gift as a sign of friendship,_ she mused, beginning to doubt the plausibility that any gentleman as talented, as incredibly handsome, and so mysterious, could possibly have any real interest in her.

 _But what did he mean when he said he'd take me to see Brighton? That couldn't just have been a friendly suggestion, could it? Then again he seemed embarrassed that he'd said it so perhaps it was simply a mistake. He did come to visit me on St Valentine's day, though,_ her thoughts were a mixture of doubt, hope, and anticipation, all peppered with pangs of sadness as she remembered the insignificant slivers of time she had spent with the Colonel, a man firmly cemented in her past, where she had chosen to leave him.

Jane had been nervously waiting for the Viscount's arrival all morning. In comparison to her previous experience being approached by gentlemen who had professed an interest in her, this flutter of nerves could be blamed far more on an underlying sense of excitement than fear or discomfort.

She had spent much of the morning debating which of her dresses to wear, and how she would style her hair. Never before had she been as indecisive, as critical, and the girls' shared ladies maid could do very little to reassure her.

"Now, Miss," the young girl said smilingly, as she twisted another lock of hair and pinned it to the side of Jane's head, "The Viscount would be enthralled by you even if you were covered in mud from head to toe, and had not a single pin in your hair!"

"Oh, I could never!" Jane exclaimed, and then fell silent. It was the first time she had ever felt as agitated over a meeting with the Viscount and she could not for the life of her decide why. Perhaps it was as a result of his serious tone when he had requested the meeting or the fact that she somewhat suspected what he would be asking.

"Miss Jane," a voice broke through her daydream, "Miss, Miss Jane!" the maid half whispered, "The Viscount has arrived," the girl said with a smile once Jane, at last, seemed to be paying attention.

"Oh dear, where is my aunt?" the woman said, panicking slightly and glancing around the parlour frenziedly.

"She shall be here in a minute," the maid said in a calming tone, "But I cannot keep the Viscount waiting much longer."

And with that the girl disappeared, only to return a few seconds later with the man in question meekly in tow.

Jane immediately fell into a deep curtsey, averting her eyes from the gentleman and hoping that split second would allow her to steady herself.

She had just lifted her head when she felt a hand on her arm and found Andrew standing directly in front of her, an undeniably happy smile on his face.

"Jane, there is no need to curtsey in my presence," he whispered, letting his hand fall slightly, and taking her gloved one in his own.

"I apologize, sir," Jane replied rather awkwardly, her face turning pink at his proximity.

"And apologizing is even worse," the Viscount smiled, stepping away from the woman as he noticed her slight nervousness at his rather brazen approach.

"I have come here to discuss an important matter with you," he said, skipping formalities and coming right to the point, his eyes not once leaving hers, "I do not wish there to be any doubt, any uncertainty between us and, with this in mind, I could not delay speaking to you even a single day longer."

Jane did not say a word in reply, although she did give the gentleman a small smile of encouragement, which he definitely seemed to need.

"I am falling in love with you at a dangerously fast pace, Jane," the Viscount said confidently, although quietly, "and even though I cannot predict your future feelings or decisions I have come to lay myself at your mercy," he added, his hand shaking slightly in hers, "I am not sure whether or not I am mistaken but I hope, I hope you have come to feel _something_ more than mere fondness for me," his tone was filled with optimism as he searched her face for any sign of agreement.

"I have no greater desire than to marry you, Jane," he whispered, and the girl turned suddenly pale, "but I understand that you may not yet be ready to make such a decision. That is why I wish to ask your permission, before your father's or uncle's, to court you, and to make public my devotion to you."

Jane had heaved an internal sigh of relief at the Viscount's second proposition and now smiled once more, a tear running slowly down her cheek.

"Now, I understand that tying yourself to a man who has already been married, and has a daughter too, might not be what you had imagined, but I can promise –" the man stopped short as Jane interrupted.

"I love your daughter dearly, Andrew," she whispered, her eyes still shimmering with unspent tears, "and yes, you have my permission to court me."

The man couldn't help himself and placed a quick kiss on her cheek.

"I am beyond pleased, my dear," he whispered, placing kisses on the top of both her hands and smiling brightly, an expression mirrored by the woman before him.

"There is much I must still share with you, and I am sure I do not know nearly enough about you and your family but I assure you I shall make sure we have ample time to learn about each other in the coming weeks."

"There truly is not much to know about me, sir," she smiled.

"I doubt that!" he replied, his elation still evident in his tone and expression, "And please, do not call me 'sir'. To you, I am only 'Andrew'."

"Very well," she replied, a disbelieving, although very happy smile gracing her visage.

It was at that precise moment that Mrs Gardiner entered the room, having taken her time along her way to the parlour, hoping to give the two some time to talk in private.

"Good morning, Mrs Gardiner," the Viscount said upon becoming aware of her presence.

"Good morning, Viscount Fitzwilliam," Marianne replied, dropping into a quick curtsey.

"I must ask to speak to Mr Gardiner at his earliest convenience, as I have an incredibly important matter to discuss with him," the Viscount said, and Jane blushed, still not entirely sure the past few minutes had not been a dream.

"He shall be leaving to the warehouses soon, but I am sure he will have a few minutes for you if you hurry. He is in his study at the moment, but Sally will show you the way," the lady replied with a suspicious smile.

"Thank you, ma'am," the gentleman said and hurried from the room; leaving a very shaky, rather dazed Jane to recount their earlier conversation to her aunt.

* * *

 **A/N**

Hello there! Hope you are all having a restful Friday wherever you are! And I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

For everyone appalled by Lydia's behaviour - I just wanted to clarify that yes, she is being a naive idiot, and yes, she is rather selfish and thoughtless in her actions, but that is very much how she was portrayed in JA's original. In my mind she's the character we all love to hate - she's devious, rude, and far too outspoken, but yet we still like the fact that she's giving some of the ton's members a run for their money. Right now I don't WANT her to be all that likeable, to be honest, so bear with me.

 **liysyl -** Lowland is definitely out for revenge, so Lyds should keep her eyes open.

 **Deanna27 -** Lydia definitely profited from very, very good luck with her escape, and I don't think it will be as easy for her to pull the same trick off again. Unfortunately, her success has made her rather bigheaded which, with Lydia, is never a good thing.

 **Oddybobo -** Hahaha don't you just love it when the Regency era fanfics make the punishment turn out to be the reward. Unfortunately, that won't be the case with dear Lydia.

 **mangosmum -** I can imagine Lydia would HATE Australia. All those disgusting insects, and not a fashionable lady in sight!

Anyhoo, I hope you all have an awesome weekend ahead!

Cheerio,

Sammy


	50. To the City Once More

Viscount Fitzwilliam's request for permission to court Jane turned out to be a far simpler experience than Fitzwilliam had been made subject to. Mr Gardiner had readily agreed to the young man's request and had written to Mr Bennet by express at the gentleman's insistence. Mr Bennet's reply had arrived the next morning and contained only two or three sentences from the old man. The rest of the rather lengthy letter had all been filled by Mrs Bennet's scrawled handwriting.

She was ecstatic, rapturous, euphoric. Her rediscovered love for her eldest daughter spilled over several pages and she could not entreat her sincerely enough to remain in London as long as possible so 'there may be ample opportunity for the Viscount, oh lord a Viscount, to fall prey to her feminine wiles."

This rather emotive piece of correspondence was read in equal disbelief, embarrassment, and amusement, by Mr Gardiner, to whom the letter was addressed, and then subsequently thrown into the fireplace at Mr Bennet's request.

Jane's father had given his blessing for the young couple to pursue a relationship, and both were reservedly, although very sincerely, pleased by the news.

* * *

In Kent, Mr Darcy had descended upon Hunsford with the full intent of spending a restful afternoon with his betrothed before their journey to London the following day but was confronted with far more horrific a reality.

The entire house was in an uproar as Charlotte had gotten it into her head to move furniture and thoroughly clean the kitchen and drawing room.

Elizabeth, bonnet-less and pink-cheeked, stood upon a chair slowly removing the curtains from their poles and handing them to the flustered looking maid who would spend much of the afternoon washing them outside.

Mr Darcy had to avert his eyes from Elizabeth's stretching figure, more for his own sanity than the impropriety of the situation he found himself in.

"Oh, Fitzwilliam, you have come at the most opportune of moments!" Elizabeth exclaimed, lightly stepping to the floor and, in a most provocative manner placing a soft, lingering kiss on his lips as the young maid stepped from the room, her arms laden with dusty cloth.

"You are playing with fire, Lizzy," Fitzwilliam whispered, slipping his hand around her waist and pulling her in for a much more thorough greeting.

"Charlotte will be in any minute," Elizabeth whispered, pulling away slightly.

"Let her," Fitzwilliam whispered, leaning in for another kiss.

"You know we cannot. Not yet, anyway," she replied, disentangling her body from his arms and directing him to the opposite window to help to remove the rest of the curtains.

"I am but your humble servant," he retorted sarcastically, giving the smiling Lizzy a quick wink.

"Very good, Mr Darcy," she called, admiring the view as Fitzwilliam easily unhooked the curtains, his height making a chair or stool unnecessary.

"Ah! Mr Darcy! How kind of you to join us for such charming entertainment," Charlotte said laughingly as she stepped into the room and noticed the gentleman happily following Elizabeth's directions, "There's nothing quite as pleasing as spending a day cleaning every nook and cranny of a dusty old house!"

Fitzwilliam wasn't sure whether or not the woman was joking, and so he awkwardly attempted a smile which was, thankfully, ignored by Mrs Collins as she pulled a large bucket out of the room.

"Must you truly remain here cleaning all day, Elizabeth?" Fitzwilliam grunted as he pulled down the last curtain.

"I am afraid so, my dear. We country folk do not have the luxury of getting someone else to do our chores for us!" Elizabeth's eyes twinkled in amusement as she teased the gentleman.

"On the contrary, Lizzy, you seem _more_ than capable of getting someone else to do your work in your stead."

Elizabeth laughed gleefully as she stepped outside and dropped the curtains in a pile on a dry patch of grass.

Returning, she poured tea into two cups and took her seat beside Fitzwilliam, handing him his cup with a smile.

"I must admit I am rather looking forward to returning to London. I miss Jane very much, and I certainly wish to spend some more time with Georgiana before the wedding."

"I cannot yet say whether my enthusiasm to remove you from my aunt's presence, or my dread at having to share you with everyone once more is greater and it has placed me in a rather amusing predicament."

"Oh do not fret so," Elizabeth murmured, "Soon we shall be in only each other's company for a month – it was a month, wasn't it – and then you shall regret your words, my dear sir."

"What sacrilege!" Mr Darcy exclaimed, "Apologize for your words immediately, woman," he whispered as Elizabeth once more dissolved into laughter.

She was soon shut up by Fitzwilliam's lips covering her own.

"Very well, sir," she hiccupped, pulling away slightly, "I apologize most humbly, most profoundly, most insincerely!"

"You vixen!" the gentleman breathed, smothering her in kisses once more.

"Now, Fitzwilliam! We have work to do!" Elizabeth gasped as Fitzwilliam nipped her neck.

"If I'm not mistaken, it is _you_ who has work to do," he grumbled, burying his face in her neck.

"Well, then!" Lizzy exclaimed, determinedly standing and turning to face the smiling man who still sat comfortably on the greying couch.

Immediately, Fitzwilliam pulled her towards him and watched her cheeks turn pink as she realized she was standing in between his legs as his hands rested on her hips.

"I, I – uh," she suddenly stammered, realizing the precarious position she was in, "I fear now it is _you_ who are playing with fire, Fitzwilliam," she whispered desperately.

"Perhaps I enjoy a certain sense of danger, Elizabeth."

"Intriguing," she whispered in reply, meeting Fitzwilliam's husky tone with a seductive one of her own.

"Off with you, temptress," Mr Darcy exclaimed, lightly pushing her away from him, and shaking his head as she sauntered to the kitchen.

Fitzwilliam would have left the parsonage, had Charlotte not entered the room merely minutes later and invited him to stay for tea. She laughingly assured him he would not have to clean to earn his keep, and soon she shooed Elizabeth out of the kitchen as well, insisting she go and entertain her fiancé.

* * *

Mr Collins was nowhere to be found when teatime came. He had muttered something about seeing Lady Catherine to discuss the following Sunday's sermon and had disappeared as soon as was appropriate.

Around a rather small, but very sturdy table, Charlotte and Maria sat enraptured as Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam discussed their plans for the few weeks they would spend in London. Both women seemed caught up in the excitement and intrigue of the city, with which neither was very familiar.

"I have received an invitation from the Marquess and Marchioness of Hundley to attend their annual Masquerade – an affair as much of an institution as the London season itself. Normally I would forgo attending, especially in light of the evening's theme, but I believe _you_ shall greatly enjoy it, Elizabeth. Besides, I have promised to introduce Miss Catherine to Lord and Lady Hundley, and I am nothing if not a man of my word. Thankfully their gatherings are not of such a degrading nature as some masquerades have been purported to be."

"Oh! A masquerade, how exciting!" Charlotte exclaimed, and Lizzy nodded in agreement, her eyes shining enthusiastically.

"What shall you dress as, Elizabeth?" Maria inquired meekly, her intimidation at Mr Darcy's rather fearsome presence not quite dissipated.

"I haven't the slightest idea, Maria, although I suppose I would very much like to go as a figure of history, and not some animal or harlequin."

"Perhaps you should go as the Queen of Sheba!" Charlotte giggled.

"That sounds intriguing," Elizabeth replied amusedly, "although I fear I shan't quite live up to her wisdom!"

"What of Boudicca?" Maria suggested.

Now that is a brilliant idea!" Elizabeth said enthusiastically, and watched as the girl's smile grew, "Whatever I decide to wear I shall be sure to write a detailed description of the assembled costume for you both."

"I shall remember your promise, Lizzy," Charlotte warned.

Mr Darcy had gotten slightly uncomfortable with the exuberant, rather girlish behaviour of his three companions, and so he quietly interrupted, "I believe there are some things that must still be planned, acquired, and purchased before the wedding as well, Elizabeth. It would be quite an interesting conversation to have should you realize you forgot something halfway to Pemberley."

"Really, Fitzwilliam?" Elizabeth asked, crossing her arms and giving the gentleman a challenging look.

"I stand by my statement, my dear," the man retorted with a mischievous grin, and Lizzy couldn't help but mirror his expression.

The group remained seated in pleasant conversation for another half hour, or rather until Mr Collins, at last, made an appearance, after which Elizabeth made known she would spend much of the afternoon packing, and Mr Darcy disappeared down the road on Achilles, promising to collect Lizzy at seven o'clock the next morning.

* * *

Elizabeth and Charlotte spent a good part of the evening in the former's little room, savouring the last few minutes of friendly conversation before they would both return to slightly harsher realities the next morning; Charlotte to once more be left in semi-solitude with only her sister and Mr Collins for company, and Elizabeth to enter the fray of London once more, and the stresses and confusion that were bound to be experienced before the wedding.

* * *

 _Tuesday, February 18th, 1812_

As most of the Gardiner household slept, all except Mary who had received a letter from Mr Ferrars the previous afternoon and sat in deep concentration writing her reply, Elizabeth had just pulled on her thickest coat and donned her bonnet as she heard Mr Darcy's carriage come rolling up the path.

Charlotte had prepared tea for them both that morning, Maria still being fast asleep, and Mr Collins too occupied with his scriptural studies to bid the girl farewell.

With a long, warm hug the two women parted and Elizabeth stepped out into the biting cold, already being broken up by the sun's blinding rays that splayed across the fields.

Fitzwilliam, who sat astride Achilles, slipped to the ground and hurried forward to greet his fiancé.

"You look beautiful, my dear," he whispered as he drew her in for a quick kiss, two footmen already taking care of the trunk she and Charlotte had dragged onto the little porch.

Elizabeth gave a disbelieving laugh, "I am half asleep, William, and I suppose so are you if you imagine I look anything near beautiful at this very moment!"

In truth, Elizabeth's hair had been roughly stuffed into her bonnet, and her eyes still seemed slightly puffy, but Fitzwilliam could not find a single thing he didn't like about her appearance.

"I fear my time in the countryside has conditioned me to early nights, and Charlotte and I were up until an ungodly hour last night, which has obviously taken its toll," she explained as Fitzwilliam helped her into the carriage.

"Oh! Good morning, Mrs Jenkinson," she said cheerily, taking her seat opposite the stout lady who smiled brightly and returned her greeting.

"Will you not be joining us, Fitzwilliam?" she inquired as the gentlemen once more mounted Achilles.

"I hoped to ride until we reach Swanley unless you would prefer me to keep you company."

"I am certain Mrs Jenkinson and I shall find something interesting to discuss, dear," Elizabeth reassured him with a grin, "Besides, I am almost just as certain I shall fall asleep within ten minutes!"

"Very well, shall we?" Mr Darcy called, and the carriage sprang into movement.

Elizabeth and Mrs Jenkinson did not, as was expected, find something to talk about. It was not for lack of trying, but both women grew so incredibly sleepy in the first quarter hour of travel that they were soon lost to each other and the rest of the world.

It was only once they reached Swanley, and the old lady disembarked for a visit to the privy, that Elizabeth began to stir.

"Elizabeth, darling?" Fitzwilliam's voice cut through her sleepy haze, "Lizzy, we have arrived in Swanley," he whispered, placing a kiss on her cheek as she lay on her side.

"Oh goodness!" Elizabeth exclaimed, leaping to her feet and bumping her head against Fitzwilliam's chin on her way up.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Will!" she cried, realizing what she'd done.

"I'm alright," the gentleman replied, wiggling his jaw to ascertain how much damage had been done.

"How could I have slept so long?" she muttered, taking Fitzwilliam's face in both her hands and placing a small kiss on his chin.

"Carriages tend to make one sleepy, my dear."

"Where is Mrs Jenkinson?"

"She's inside refreshing herself," he answered, stepping out of the carriage and extending his hand to help Elizabeth down.

"I was unsure of whether you would like something to drink, or, well," his voice trailed off.

"I shan't say no to a cup of water and perhaps a short walk as I am too stiff to believe!"

"Shall we?" the young man agreed, extending his arm.

* * *

Half an hour later the group set off once more, the horses having been provided with water and a short rest. This time Achilles was reined with the two horses pulling the carriage, and Mr Darcy found himself comfortably seated beside his betrothed.

"Well, my dear, not much more than two hours and we shall be back in the city of the self-absorbed," Mr Darcy whispered, watching with childish amusement as Mrs Jenkinson's eyes once more began to droop.

" _Hm,_ " Elizabeth murmured in agreement, her mind wandering and Fitzwilliam's words only barely being registered.

"Is something amiss, my love?" he inquired gently, his hand resting on the small of her back as he leaned forward to catch Elizabeth's gaze with his own.

"Oh," Lizzy exclaimed lightly, and refocused on the man beside her with a smile, "no, no, nothing is wrong, I am simply contemplating the many changes my life will soon be undergoing. I feel as though I should be filled with fear and apprehension, yet all I sense is nervous excitement."

"So do I," he whispered in reply.

"What?" Elizabeth exclaimed, turning to get a better view of her fiancé's face and catching a glimpse of the sleeping Mrs Jenkinson in the process, " _You?_ Nervously excited? I cannot possibly imagine you could ever be _nervously_ anything."

"Then you would be dreadfully mistaken, my dear. You forget that I am as unfamiliar with my current situation as you are with yours!"

Elizabeth fell silent for a moment, the realization that Fitzwilliam could be at all anxious over their future confusing and surprising her simultaneously.

"I am so sorry, William," she, at last, said, her hand finding its way to his cheek.

"Whatever for?" he queried in confusion.

"For not taking into account our marriage would be bringing an equal amount of disruption to your life as it would to mine."

"Oh, my darling, that is nothing to apologize for," Fitzwilliam exclaimed, placing a light kiss on Elizabeth's lips.

"I just don't want to be thoughtless and selfish again, William. I behaved nightmarishly at the beginning of our acquaintance and I fear my self-centred behaviour will once more create easily avoidable conflict between us."

"I doubt that could ever happen, Lizzy," Fitzwilliam said mischievously.

"Why not?"

"Simply because, unlike the thousands of times I had wanted to do this and could not find the courage, now I can simply silence you with a kiss," his words trailed off as he leaned in and Elizabeth met his lips with her own.

' _Ahem!'_ Mrs Jenkinson cleared her throat and the two leaped apart, turning to opposite sides of the carriage and staring out of opposing windows with reddened cheeks as the old lady laughingly shook her head.

* * *

It took a good twenty minutes for the couple to take up their conversation once more. Even so, they couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed as Mrs Jenkinson insisted on inserting herself in the conversation.

The remainder of their journey proved to be uneventful, and the carriage rolled into London just as the clock struck half-past noon.

* * *

It was just after one o'clock that the carriage pulled up to the Gardiners' house. After helping Elizabeth down, and seeing to it that her luggage was safely deposited in the entrance hall, he hurried back to the carriage.

He would ensure Mrs Jenkinson safely arrived at her sister's house before returning to Darcy house to refresh himself and collect Georgiana to join the Gardiners for dinner that evening.

* * *

"Lizzy!" Jane shrieked, as soon as the girl entered the house, having waved goodbye to Mr Darcy from the top of the stairs.

"Jane, dearest!" Elizabeth exclaimed, pulling her sister in for a tight hug.

"Lizzy, you're here!" Kitty said smilingly, coming to greet her sister with a bright smile and a light embrace.

"Is that Elizabeth who arrived, dears?" Mrs Gardiner could be heard calling from the direction of the drawing room.

"I have missed you all so much!" Elizabeth smiled, grabbing hold of both her sisters' hands and hurrying towards the rest of the family.

"Oh! You must be dreadfully tired, my dear girl," Marianne said caringly, helping Elizabeth pull off her coat and bonnet once she stepped into the warm, well-lit room.

"I slept for almost half of the trip so I don't believe I can have much of an excuse for being weary," Lizzy argued, dropping onto the couch with a sigh that greatly contradicted her statement.

"Ah, Miss Elizabeth! You have returned from the Garden of England in excellent health, I see," Mr Winthrope greeted as he re-entered the drawing room and set down a cup of water he had been carrying.

"Good afternoon, Mr Winthrope," Elizabeth greeted, getting up to curtsey lightly and stepping over to the table, now well and truly covered in various pieces of Catherine's art.

"I can see you are an irreproachable teacher, sir. My sister has made enormous progress, and I must say these pieces are truly breathtaking, Kitty," she added, smiling at her obviously pleased sister.

"Where are Mary and Lydia?" Elizabeth inquired, glancing around the room and realizing they were missing.

"Lydia is with Miss Balette and Mary has been in her room for much of the day writing or something of the like," Kitty chipped in, taking her seat before the canvas once more and returning to her work.

"Est-ce toi, Elizabeth?" a voice called out, and Lydia peeked into the room.

"Oui, c'est moi!" Elizabeth replied, moving to give her sister a quick hug before the girl began spurting an endless, fast-paced recitation of the Italian play she had been studying and Elizabeth once more felt the urge to roll her eyes at her flamboyant sibling.

"Very good, Lydia, I cannot understand a word of what you're saying but I suppose that was your intention," she laughed, shooing her back towards the little office where Miss Balette awaited her pupil.

"I shall go up to see Mary in a minute, but for now I am in dire need of a piping hot cup of tea," Elizabeth sighed, moving to the table upon which stood several empty cups and a large teapot.

"I gathered from your letters that Kent did not provide as pleasant an experience as you had hoped it would," Mrs Gardiner suggested as Elizabeth took her seat beside Jane.

"Am I to be ashamed of being named Catherine now, Lizzy?" Kitty laughingly called out as she waited for Mr Winthrope to view the progress she had made and offer his critique.

"Not at all, my dear, you do full justice to your name. It is Lady Catherine, I am afraid, who has grossly misrepresented her moniker."

"Was she truly as horrible as she sounded?" Jane asked in disbelief, not entirely sure that anyone could be so outlandishly rude and spiteful.

"Oh, Jane, dearest, I wish I could say she saw the wrongfulness of her behaviour and redeemed herself, but I am afraid she was still so staunchly snide when I last saw her at the Sunday service."

"Kent cannot hold very many pleasant memories, then. Not if you had to alternate between Lady Catherine and our _dearest_ cousin Mr Collins," Kitty commented sarcastically.

"I'm afraid not."

"Well, thankfully you are home safe and sound, Lizzy," Marianne offered in an attempt to soothe the girl's growing agitation at the topic of their conversation.

"Yes! And we best all enjoy the peace the next few days shall bring as I am sure the final month before the wedding shall be the very essence of madness.

"Why do you say so, dearest?" Jane gently asked.

"We shall be returning to Hertfordshire, Jane! To mama and her endless nerves and palpitations."

"Oh, do not speak of poor mama in such a manner, Lizzy. I am sure she has calmed down greatly since we last saw her," Jane lightly admonished her sister, as Kitty let out a disbelieving snigger.

"Now! I shall go greet Mary and, if I do not descend within the half-hour, you may assume I fell asleep," she said, getting up from her seat and walking to the door.

"Do have a rest, dear, you may not imagine it to be so but I'm certain you had a tedious journey," Mrs Gardiner advised, adding that she had asked the maid to prepare a bath for her once she felt ready.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said sincerely, her expression belying her true gratefulness for her aunt's forethought.

* * *

Greeting Mary did not take much time at all. The girl had no real interest in the events that had occurred at Kent, and she remained so occupied with her writing that she barely lifted her head as Elizabeth planted a kiss atop it.

"Oh! You're home," she observed with a small smile, still scribbling away.

"I am indeed, and I can see you are very busy so I shan't distract you," Lizzy said quietly, exiting the room with a chuckle at her sister's absent-mindedness.

* * *

Elizabeth remained in the bath until the water had cooled down to well in the range of room temperature. She had considered washing her hair but doubted it would dry in time for dinner and so, after scrubbing herself thoroughly, she lay back and stared up at the roof above her as a candle flickered strange patterns across the wood.

 _Today is the eighteenth, we leave for Longbourn on the ninth of next month. That leaves only twenty days here in London, and a further fortnight at home before we make our way to Pemberley,_ Elizabeth said to herself, trying to gain some oversight as to what the coming days would entail.

 _That means there is a total of forty-four days remaining until the wedding._

She paused, splashing the water across her arms and shivering slightly as she realized it was no longer warm enough to enjoy.

Stepping from the tub and pulling on a thick dressing gown, she nearly sprinted to her room where a warm fire was happily flickering away.

Pulling the remaining pins from her hair, she fell onto the bed.

 _Forty-four days. An eternity and a blink of an eye all rolled into one,_ and with that, she fell asleep.

* * *

"Miss Elizabeth, may I come in?" a voice sounded through her dreamless respite.

"Miss Elizabeth?" a small knock accompanied the voice this time and Elizabeth leaped from her bed.

"Jenny, is that you? Do come in!" Elizabeth called, still slightly confused by the haze of sleep.

"It is well past five, Miss Elizabeth, and I have just finished helping your sisters prepare for dinner," the girl said confidently, pulling open the doors of the heavy wardrobe standing in the corner of the room.

"Oh, goodness! Five? Are you quite sure?" Lizzy asked in surprise, catching a glimpse of darkening sky through her window.

"Positive, miss!" the girl laughed, "Mrs Gardiner instructed me to leave you to rest, and Miss Jane had already chosen her dress, and so they all dressed in Miss Catherine's room."

"What time is dinner?" she asked, pulling on her undergarments and petticoat.

"Half-past eight."

"Oh, well then there is still ample time remaining."

"Mr Darcy and Miss Georgiana sent a footman to inform Mrs Gardiner they would be arriving at a quarter to eight."

"Excellent," Lizzy said with a smile, "I think I would like to wear my red dress tonight."

"It's lovely," the girl said sincerely, removing the gown and dropping it onto the bed.

"It certainly isn't high fashion, but I find its simplicity appealing."

Indeed the simplicity of the dress greatly accentuated the gems hanging around Elizabeth's neck. The rubies, closely hugging her neck, glittered in the candlelight, while the small diamonds, hanging loose over her chest, contrasted with the dress' deep, vibrant red material.

Elizabeth had not noticed how much her hair had grown since last Beth had cut it before the arrival of the Netherfield party in Meryton. It now hung slightly below her waist and although she felt tempted to have it shortened, she could not imagine going through with it – not so soon before the wedding and when Mr Darcy had never seen her with her hair entirely loose. Something about her silhouette as she stood before the mirror, her hair falling over her shoulders, and her eyes shimmering in the dim light made her feel so much more a Darcy.

* * *

 **EDIT:** THANK YOU TO Azilou38 for pointing out my mistake with Lydia's French. I last studied French in high school so I obviously need to refresh my memory.

Also, thank you to everyone who points out my mistakes. I do my best to keep my posts error-free but my brain doesn't always cooperate, so I really appreciate you guys picking up on the things I missed.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hey, hey! Hope you all have had an awesome Friday, and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

I absolutely loved reading all your reviews this week - it's inspired me soooooo much and I am having so much fun writing again, so THANK YOU!

ALSO! To everyone that pointed out it was supposed to be Hunsford, not Lambton, THANK YOUUUU. I don't know why I keep mixing up the town names! I seem to have a brainfart right when I'm supposed to mention where the characters are.

 **Canadian Bacon Unicorn -** Hi! Welcome to the story! I am SO glad you're enjoying it! I'm happy you like the Jane/Viscount pairing. I thought with Darcy going through such a transformation it would be pushing it to put Bingley through the same thing. After all, not everyone changes. xD I was actually surprised that everyone was suspicious of Reeding as soon as he was written into the story. I guess by knowing he would be a bit of a villain I subconsciously made him dislikeable even though I didn't WANT him to be like that from the start. Haha I can't wait for the week at Pemberley either! Although I feel as though having time alone together then is going to be a real struggle for both Lizzy and Fitzwilliam - Mrs Bennet and the whole family will be there too! And as for Wickham - there have been so many variations on the Wickham storyline droning on with it would be a bit boring. And YES! Percy Jackson would make the PERFECT Duke, just perhaps a little taller and a little musclier! Thank you so, so much for your review! Knowing people enjoy reading the story, and can remember so much of what has happened makes this so worthwhile.

 **Rania 037 -**

Hola rania Todavía estoy usando Google Translate! Muchas gracias por tu evaluación, realmente me estoy divirtiendo con Darcy y Elizabeth, y Andrew y Jane. Lydia está causando muchos problemas, pero creo que porque es tan joven que no se da cuenta de todo lo que puede salir mal. Con el dinero que le dio a los empleados de Duke, creo que ella también compensó en exceso, pero recuerda que también tiene miedo de que la atrapen, por lo que está haciendo todo lo posible para evitar que eso suceda.

 **Brenda Shaffer-Shiring -** Thank you so much for your review! I always try to savour stories but then I end up finishing them in one sitting anyway! I do try my best to keep things as accurate to the Regency Period as possible (which means hours of research on food and clothes, and clubs, and customs xD). I hope you enjoy the rest of the story as well. Thanks again!

 **Imbravo -** I never really liked Lydia either, but I think her point of view could be really interesting as there has to be SOME reason for her behaviour. In my story I guess it is a combination of her age, the fact that she realized her mother is rather fickle when it comes to caring for her daughters, and the fact that every man/boy she has liked never returned her feelings genuinely. I think a lot of girls/women can relate to that feeling even in our current era!

 **KurukiXV -** you are so right! She has no idea what she's gotten into, but she'll soon realize that with a start!

 **NotACursedChild -** Lydia might not be the smartest when it comes to reacting or taking action towards the Ton, but it IS damn fun to read, which is all we need, for now xD

ANYHOO,

Thank you for sticking with me, I appreciate each and every one of you more than you could ever imagine!

Cheers,

Sammy


	51. What Is To Come

"Lizzy!" a voice shrieked, and the person to whom it belonged came hurtling into the drawing-room.

"Georgi, I've missed you!" Elizabeth laughed, holding open her arms as the girl ran into them and nearly crushed her.

"I am so happy you and Fitzwilliam are back in London!" she exclaimed, pulling back slightly and glancing at her brother who stood grinning in the doorway.

"So am I! I cannot say I enjoyed Kent very much, but I did meet your Cousin Anne and she was wonderfully entertaining."

"Oh, yes! Fitz told me Anne was her usual, melodramatic self," she replied eagerly, taking a seat beside Elizabeth.

"I fear I shall lose you to Georgiana for the entirety of the evening, my dear," Mr Darcy whispered as he placed a kiss on her head.

"You certainly shall, Fitzwilliam!" Georgi interrupted assertively, "You have had her to yourself for far too long."

"Very well, but I shan't stand for such self-serving behaviour at Pemberley, sister dearest," the gentleman replied with a laugh and moved over to speak with Mr Gardiner, who sat observing the scene before him in amusement.

"Was my aunt truly as despicable as Fitz told me?" Georgiana asked in a gossipy tone and Elizabeth proceeded to retell the tale of her visit to Kent in detail.

"Jane, has my cousin come to see you again?" Georgi asked suddenly, after having been sufficiently indignant at Lady Catherine's behaviour towards her soon to be sister-in-law.

"He has," Jane, who had been seated on the opposite side of her sister for much of the evening, said shyly.

"When did you become such a gossip, Georgi?" Fitzwilliam interrupted with an amused smile as he stepped over to the little group, which had now been joined by Kitty, Lydia, and the Gardiner children.

"I am _not_ a gossip, Fitz, I am merely starved for some decent conversation," the girl replied with a cheeky grin, at which her brother shook his head in disbelief and the slightest hint of joy.

"Georgiana has changed completely," he whispered to Elizabeth when the group, at last, decided to make their way to the dinner table.

"I am sorry if Catherine and Lydia have played a rather large role in that," Elizabeth apologized, worried that the gentleman would be disappointed in the influence the girls had had on his sister.

"Sorry? I should be thanking them! Her curious, talkative nature was completely done away with after the incident with Wickham and I cannot describe how pleased I am to see her slowly growing out of the shell she had disappeared into last summer."

"If she spends any more time with us I fear you shall soon be longing for the days she preferred silence," Lizzy grinned.

"She still behaves painfully reserved while in the company of strangers but here, with you and your family, she seems to forget her nerves and anxiety entirely."

"Perhaps by observing our imperfections she has come to realize she does not have to be entirely perfect herself," Elizabeth suggested, and Fitzwilliam nodded in agreement.

"I sometimes fear I taught her to expect too much from herself, to judge herself too harshly. I felt that to be my duty at the time, to exact perfection, but in doing so I had become more of a stern parent than a loving brother."

"She is a beautiful girl, Fitzwilliam. You did an excellent job under the circumstances you were given."

"And now she has you to help her where I cannot," the gentleman added quietly, and Elizabeth squeezed his hand gently as they entered the brightly lit dining room.

What had once been an unfamiliar, rather tense event had turned into something entirely different.

Instead of a dinner shared between acquaintances, with talk constrained to the weather and politics, it had become a meal shared between family.

Mr Darcy, having lacked a family for many years of his life, found himself reveling in the sense of familiarity and freedom the little gathering before him brought.

The Gardiner children, no longer shy of the tall, imposing man, plied him with questions, and Georgiana found herself feeling entirely at home in the presence of Marianne Gardiner and the Bennet girls.

It was an altogether strange, yet not at all unwelcome, experience for the two Darcy siblings and both left for home that evening with smiles on their faces. Even stoic Mr Darcy found his smile would not fade until well into the night.

He had once accused Elizabeth's family of being barbaric and unrestrained but had soon retracted his statement. Yes, Mrs Bennet was a nightmare in the flesh, but the rest of her family was nowhere near his earlier estimation.

* * *

 _Wednesday, February 19th, 1812_

Elizabeth had awoken long before any of her sisters. As she sat writing near the fire in the drawing-room she could hear little Benjamin crying out for his mother, falling silent shortly afterward as someone apparently arose to soothe him.

She had much work to accomplish before visiting Darcy House that afternoon, at Georgiana's request.

Georgi had initially invited all five of the Bennet sisters to visit her that day, but Mary had immediately made her excuses, claiming she had far too much work to do. Lydia was soon to follow – she was not all too fond of Georgiana who seemed to have everything she could never dream of attaining – and so she insisted she would be entirely too busy preparing her dress for the masquerade Elizabeth had informed her they would be attending. Mr Gardiner, having noticed his niece's improved behaviour had deemed it unfair to exclude her from such a grand occasion as the masquerade would offer, and so it was with much squealing and excitement that she was informed she would be allowed to participate.

Jane had wanted to visit, but the Viscount had promised to call on her that afternoon and so she had to decline the invitation. Kitty had, at first, thought it would be great fun to accompany her sister to Darcy House, but her aunt soon whisperingly advised her to forfeit the opportunity just this once.

"It will give Lizzy, Mr Darcy, and Georgiana a chance to experience it being just them, as it shall soon be, my dear," she had whispered and Kitty had obliged, if not slightly begrudgingly so.

In truth, Catherine had come to look up to Elizabeth far more as the weeks progressed and she was desperate for some time alone with her sister before she would be spirited away from them for, what the girl imagined, would be forever.

Elizabeth had noticed the look on her younger sister's face and had quickly offered to take her along to Mrs Baudelaire's the coming Friday for her final fittings. This seemed to please Catherine greatly and the plans for the week were subsequently settled.

Now Elizabeth sat quietly writing out what felt like an endless number of invitations. Lady Matlock had been in almost unbroken correspondence with both Elizabeth and Mrs Reynolds and had thusly informed the girl that she would see to the invitations for anyone unacquainted with Elizabeth. This equated to a very large fraction of the total number of letters that needed to be sent, but nonetheless, Elizabeth still found herself having to write to the Phillipses, Lady Trudy and her family, Lord and Lady Cornwall, the Collinses, and several more of her acquaintances in London. She had also been tasked with writing to the Bingleys, which she found far more difficult than had first been expected. Thankfully Jane had shown no hesitation when she insisted she would have no objection to the siblings attending and so the letter was awkwardly written, addressed to Caroline Bingley, and dropped on top of the pile of sealed papers in the basket that stood at the foot of the table.

She had just begun writing to her father when her aunt entered the room, Benjamin happily gurgling in her arms.

"You are up rather early, Lizzy," the lady observed, taking a seat beside her niece and gently bouncing the smiling boy on her knee.

"I have so much to do I fear I have left it all unfinished for far too long!"

"Oh, do not fret, my dear, I am entirely certain it shall all be completed in perfect time," Marianne reassured.

"I have received the final menu from Mrs Reynolds, as well as the plans for the rooms and where each of the guests will be staying. Aside from that, she has written with the full inventory of flowers that will be available the week of the wedding – I am still to decide on the arrangements as well as the specifics of the posy I shall be carrying. Then I also need to choose the entertainment for the day before and after the wedding – riding, hunting, and fishing has been entirely forbidden by Mrs Reynolds for the day before. I also need to decide whether the wedding breakfast should be held indoors or outdoors – I am viewing indoors as far more favourable but I shall have to see Pemberley for myself before making a final decision, and –" Elizabeth broke off, silently reading down the list of things to be done before arriving at leaving for the Darcy estate.

"Dress fittings, gloves, undergarments, and caps – oh lord, _caps!_ I do so hate bonnets already I cannot possibly imagine wearing a cap indoors all day too. I simply shan't buy them! And if Mr Darcy has something to say about it I shall put my foot squarely, and solidly down!"

"Ah, there is the Lizzy we all know and love," Mrs Gardiner commented with a laugh.

"So you see? I have a world of things to think about yet I constantly find myself with other engagements which render me incapable of seeing to all of this," she said, holding up the list she had been perusing.

Benjamin had remained silent for most of his cousin's monologue but now he began to wriggle, and his mother excused herself to return him to the care of his nursemaid.

"Just take it one item at a time, my dear," she said, stepping through the doorway and making her way upstairs.

 _How much easier this would have been with a mother to provide me with advice and help. Mama has only ever written to instruct me on what exactly I must and must not do, not once has it been anything of any use to me – only commands,_ Elizabeth thought to herself with a sigh. She had acutely felt her mother's absence and incompetence throughout the planning for her wedding. When she was younger she had always imagined her wedding would be a small affair and now here she was planning an event about twenty times the size of the one she had daydreamed about and relying on the help of a housekeeper, her own mother too resentful to offer any real aid.

It was only half-an-hour later that Marianne returned, this time wearing a thick coat, and once more took her seat beside Elizabeth.

"It would be unacceptable to leave you to do all this on your own, my girl, so here I am – set me to work!" her aunt said smilingly.

Elizabeth remained silent for a moment, her gratefulness towards her aunt once more overwhelming her for a second, "Perhaps you could decide on the entertainment as I haven't the slightest idea what to keep earls and dukes busy with all day!" she said, at last, softly adding, "Thank you," with the slightest glimmer of tears visible in her eyes.

It was a good hour and a half later that the two women finally made it to breakfast, having finished a large section of the tasks Elizabeth had been given.

Kitty and Lydia had only just joined Jane and Mary at the table and the six women ate in relative silence, each occupied by their own thoughts.

* * *

Lydia and Kitty had been occupied with their lessons for a full hour, Elizabeth alternating between the two and praising them for their progress when Mr Darcy's carriage arrived to collect her for her afternoon outing. Benjamin's nursemaid accompanied her part of the way to Mayfair, and she was met by a smiling Georgiana as soon as the carriage pulled up to the entrance of Darcy House.

* * *

"You're here!" the girl said excitedly, pulling Lizzy in for a prolonged hug.

"My brother left early this morning on a business errand and I'm afraid he won't be home until rather late," Georgi explained as the two girls made their way to the music room, "He promised, however, to return before you left, so I am certain he shall be joining us for tea."

"Ah, then there shall be no one to interrupt our fun!" Elizabeth said teasingly, although she couldn't help but feel disappointed at Fitzwilliam's absence.

"Precisely!" Georgiana agreed, seating herself at a table and inviting Elizabeth to take the place beside her, "Now, I have acquired Hatchard's list of stock, and at Fitzwilliam's request you are to choose as many books as you please to be sent to Pemberley for your use."

"Your brother is spoiling me beyond recovery!"

"It is his duty, is it not?" Georgiana laughed, handing over the list and setting out writing materials for the woman to use.

"Certainly not!" Elizabeth said with a smile, "His only obligation is to love me, anything else is entirely irrelevant."

"Careful what you say around the ladies of the ton, Lizzy," Georgiana warned playfully, "You may find yourself dubbed 'deranged'."

"I fear that has already come about, my dear," Elizabeth commented with a sigh, although she did not seem all too despondent over the fact.

"Won't you ask for a volume of _Candide_?" Georgi inquired, turning her attention to the list of books, determined to change the subject.

"I have read it many times, all with the same result – coming to the conclusion that I certainly do not enjoy its tone!"

"I assumed I was the only one," Georgi exclaimed, "I understand the futility of optimism, yet I cannot for the life of me enjoy the bitterness expressed by Voltaire."

"I doubt optimism is entirely futile, Georgi. It certainly brings disappointment but without it, life would be rather unhappy, would it not?"

"I suppose," the girl muttered, turning her attention away from Elizabeth's face and back to the list lying before them.

"What is the matter, dearest?" Elizabeth inquired gently, reaching out to turn the girl's head to face her directly.

"Nothing at all, Lizzy," she attempted, but Elizabeth would have none of it.

"Georgiana, you are free to speak to me of anything that may be bothering you. I will soon be as much your family as I will be Fitzwilliam's and I do not want there to be secrets between us."

"Oh, Lizzy, I feel like an absolutely horrid person over the subject of my anxiety," Georgiana said her face falling.

"Do not say that, Georgi," Elizabeth murmured, taking hold of the girl's hand.

"It's just, I – oh I don't know," the girl attempted to explain, "I am simply unsure, and I feel that way for the most ridiculous of reasons."

"Unsure of what, my dear?" Elizabeth asked encouragingly, holding the girl's gaze steadily.

"I'm, I'm unsure of my place once you and Fitz marry," she confessed, rapidly trying to explain, "Of course I am beyond pleased that you will be part of our family, and I cannot be more happy for my brother's good fortune at finding someone like you, but I am scared. Once you return from your wedding tour, you will likely wish to settle down, and have children of your own, and I know that having me live at Pemberley might feel like an intrusion or perhaps an unwanted addition, and I –" the girl broke off, a few stray tears dripping down her cheeks.

"Oh, Georgi, my dear, dear girl," Elizabeth soothed, standing up and pulling her into a tight embrace.

"You will never, ever be unwanted in any of your homes," Lizzy whispered, stroking the girl's hair as the tears continued to fall.

"I, I just felt so incredibly ambivalent. I am Fitzwilliam's _sister_ , not his daughter. It places entirely different requirements on you and him in regards to my living quarters and I feel so incredibly selfish for acting the way I am, and –"

"Hush now," Elizabeth whispered, tightening her hold on the girl, "I have no desire to reside in Pemberley without you, Georgi, and I do not want you to doubt for a minute that your position will remain unchanged. I have never been Mistress of anything, I have very little knowledge of the workings of such a large estate, so I shall need you by my side as often as possible, to advise me and help me."

"I am sorry for behaving so atrociously, Lizzy," Georgiana said quietly, dabbing at her eyes with a dainty white handkerchief.

"Atrociously?!" Elizabeth exclaimed with a laugh, "My dear girl, you have not seen atrocious behaviour until you visit our house before a dance or ball!"

Georgi gave a small chuckle, her eyes still rather red, "I am sure I shall experience it at some point in the future!"

"Indeed, you shall, and you will certainly regret your current enthusiasm at such a prospect," Elizabeth said with a wink, taking her seat once more.

"So you are certain I shan't get in the way?" Georgi asked in a slightly more composed tone, her doubts not entirely evaporated.

"Pemberley shan't be the same without you, so your absence shall be more in the way than your presence could ever be," Elizabeth stated matter-of-factly, as she returned her attention to the stack of papers before her.

"Lizzy," Georgiana said timidly, and Elizabeth turned to face the girl again, "Thank you," she added simply, offering the woman seated beside her a sincere smile.

The room remained silent for a few moments, both women having returned their attention to the information before them.

A minute or so later, Elizabeth spoke once more, " _Don Quixote_ is certainly a novel I shan't be able to resist," and Georgiana eagerly agreed, her happiness having once more restored.

"And, of course, _The Iliad_ ," Elizabeth stated, writing hurriedly.

"Oh no, I cannot stand it!" Georgi exclaimed, "Although Fitzwilliam seemed to have enjoyed it very much. He even named one of his horses after Achilles."

"It is rather difficult to read, but very enjoyable once you get the hang of it," Elizabeth said thoughtfully, scanning the list once again.

"I refuse to subject myself to self-inflicted torture," Georgi giggled, getting up and walking over to the pianoforte that stood several paces from the table.

As Elizabeth read, Georgi began to play, and soon Lizzy joined the girl at the pianoforte to admire her skill.

As the piece came to an end, Elizabeth clapped lightly, "That was beautiful! I have not heard it before, who is the composer?"

"I am not surprised," Georgiana commented, "his work has received very little acclaim outside the spheres of the musically obsessed, as Fitz always calls them. The composer's name is Johann Sterkel, and this is his Piano Concerto No.2 in D major."

"Well it is certainly our loss for not appreciating his music," Elizabeth said, tentatively trying out the notes of the piece set out before her.

"Not bad at all," Georgi said encouragingly, as Elizabeth stopped playing after a few notes and shook her head.

"Not good at all, either," she retorted with a laugh, and Georgiana giggled lightly.

"I have another piece I would love to play for you, but not on the pianoforte," Georgiana said stepping over to an enormous glass case and gently removing a beautifully built violin.

"I never play in public, but I have such a deep love for the violin I cannot resist practicing almost as often as I do on the pianoforte," she said, stepping over to where Elizabeth sat and setting out a new sheet of music.

"It is the solo from Vivaldi's _Summer_ and although I suppose it is rather well-known it has not lost its charm."

The girl proceeded to play with such expressive movement Elizabeth could not help but sit mesmerized by the performance.

"Absolutely breathtaking!" she exclaimed, as the girl ended her demonstration and smiled shyly at her praise.

"You have such a gift, Georgi. Such undeniable talent."

"What is strange is that neither my mother nor father was very musical," Georgiana commented, returning her instrument to its place, "They appreciated music, but neither of them had much of a love for playing. Fitzwilliam is almost as proficient at the pianoforte as I am but he has no recollection of either of my parents having encouraged him to play, or having played themselves."

"What?" Elizabeth asked in surprise, "Fitzwilliam plays the pianoforte?"

"Oh, he has not divulged his secret yet, has he?" she said, shutting the display's door.

"He greatly enjoys playing the pianoforte, but dares not share this with anyone as he fears he shall be forced to play in public," she explained.

"I shall certainly have to have a word with him about this," Elizabeth chuckled, returning to the table where she set aside the stock list she had been perusing.

Georgiana in the meantime called for tea, and soon both women were seated in the large drawing room with a bright fire flickering away as they spoke of their plans for London.

* * *

It was here, almost two hours later, that Fitzwilliam found them giggling mischievously as Elizabeth stood in the middle of the room, mimicking what could only be described as a bird preening its feathers.

"Is it wise of me to ask?" he inquired, his deep voice snapping both women out of their reckless mirth.

"Oh! You're home!" Georgiana exclaimed, desperately trying to put a stop to her laughter.

"Where have you been all day, Fitzwilliam?" Elizabeth asked, her hands placed firmly on her hips, and one brow raised in question.

"I have been battling the forces of London, my dear," he replied playfully, pulling Elizabeth in for a hug and placing a kiss on her forehead, aware that his sister sat watching them curiously.

"And what have _you_ two been up to?" he inquired, taking a seat beside Georgiana and pulling Elizabeth down by his other side.

"Georgiana has been most delightful company," Elizabeth grinned, noticing the girl's cheeks were still slightly red from her laughter.

"And I may have shared a rather important secret, Fitz," Georgi added cheekily, glancing at Elizabeth with a suggestive expression.

"Oh, have you?" Fitzwilliam asked in mock apprehension.

"Why have you never told me you play the pianoforte?" Elizabeth asked.

"Truly? Out of all the information you could share with Elizabeth, _that_ is what you chose?" Fitzwilliam asked as Georgiana began to laugh once again.

"I suppose I should have told you earlier, it simply never crossed my mind!"

"Shall I be foolish to expect a demonstration from you in the future?" Elizabeth ventured hopefully.

Fitzwilliam purposely acted indecisively, 'um'ing and 'ah'ing as Lizzy looked on in disapproval.

"Not at all, my dear," came his reply at last, as he ran his thumb over Elizabeth's hand which was still ensconced in his own, "As a rule, I do not play for anyone but for you, I can make an exception."

"I shall look forward to it immensely."

"Have you decided on the books you want to be sent to Pemberley?" Fitzwilliam asked, sitting up straight again.

"Yes, we have," Georgiana informed, excusing herself to go fetch the papers in the music room.

"I hope you have enjoyed Georgi's company as much as she seems to have enjoyed yours, my dear," Fitzwilliam whispered as his sister disappeared from the room.

Elizabeth attempted to nod but was soon cut off as the gentleman placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"I have missed this," he murmured, as Elizabeth once more closed the distance between them.

They had to cut their attentions short as Georgiana's footsteps could be heard approaching once more, and almost a second later she reappeared, placing the sheets of paper in her brother's hands and plopping back down on the couch beside him.

" _The Iliad,_ " Fitzwilliam read in surprise, "I did not know you were acquainted with Homer's work."

"My father suggested I read it when I was only twelve years old, and I absolutely abhorred it then. I attempted it again at sixteen and found it to be far more interesting."

"Your father seemed to have very high expectations for a twelve-year-old," Georgi commented in surprise.

"I cannot disagree with you in that regard, my dear," Elizabeth nodded, watching as Fitzwilliam scanned the list of books before him, "I often find myself thinking he had wished for a boy so desperately that, when Lydia was born a girl, he decided he would choose one of his daughters to raise in as boyish a manner as possible. I suppose I was the obvious choice, having spent much of my childhood either covered in mud or stuck in trees."

"Am I to warn Pemberley's staff not to sound the alarm if a mud-coated creature is found on the grounds, then?" Fitzwilliam grinned.

"That would be a very prudent course of action," Lizzy smirked.

"Very well, I shall include a warning with this list, which ought to be sent Pemberley as soon as possible. A majority of these books are already housed in our library, but Mrs Reynolds shall order the volumes we lack immediately."

"I appreciate everything you have done to ensure I feel at home, William."

Darcy made no reply, only squeezing her hand for a split second before standing and pulling Elizabeth and Georgiana up after him.

"I am unsure of your schedule for tomorrow, Elizabeth, so I am warning you today that you shan't get much done!" Fitzwilliam declared, pulling the woman to his side and wrapping his arm around her waist as Georgiana's cheeks tinged pink.

"Oh, indeed?" Elizabeth queried, her brow raised saucily as she glanced in his direction, "And you simply assumed I would disregard my plans in favour of yours?" she added playfully.

"I did not assume anything, my dear Lizzy, I simply will not take no for an answer," he teased.

Throughout their mischievous bantering, Georgiana had watched in surprise. Her brother had grown far more relaxed since he had met Elizabeth, but she had yet to witness the full effect of the woman's presence on him.

All their earlier meetings had been in company, and it was the very first time she had been able to witness the effortless friendship the two shared.

It was then and there that Georgi decided she would settle for nothing less than what her brother and Elizabeth shared. _Nothing less would suffice._

* * *

Three of the remaining Bennet girls, all except Mary, had spent their morning working on the dresses they would wear to the masquerade. Kitty and Lydia had spent much of their time begging their aunt for more information about the Lord and Lady Hundley, but were bitterly disappointed and equally intrigued, when all their aunt could offer was that they were 'astonishingly wealthy,' and that their parties were often the talk of the ton for weeks after they had ended.

"Oh, I cannot _possibly_ wait an entire week still!" Catherine exclaimed as she sat sewing beside Jane.

"I am thankful for it! I feel as though I shan't finish this dress until the carriage has arrived to carry us to the Hundley Residences!" Lydia sighed dramatically, her brow furrowed in deep concentration as she attempted to sew together a rather elaborate turban.

"I have heard artists from all parts of London are invited, and that their costumes are some of the most impressive to behold!" Kitty whispered excitedly, her eyes sparkling at the thought of mingling with the artistic population of London.

"Do you suppose your Mr Martin shall be attending?" Lydia asked, the slightest hint of jealousy evident in her tone. She had sworn off anyone worth less than five-thousand pounds a year, but she could not help admire the gentleman's obviously handsome appearance and thus could not entirely deny her envy.

Kitty, who had been practicing not to blush at every mention of his name, calmly shrugged and replied, "I suppose he might, but I shall enjoy the event either way."

"That's very mature of you, Catherine," her aunt voiced, nodding approvingly as the young girl gave a small smile and Lydia pulled a face.

"I know Mr Darcy has assured us the Marquess and Marchioness of Hundley are respectable, but I still wish to remind you that you are not yet accustomed to the ways of London, and I do not want you for a second to forget your God-given morals, nor the virtue of your characters, my dears," Marianne warned gently. She loved her nieces very dearly and wished no harm to befall them.

"That is why I shan't be attending!" an aloof voice broke into the little group huddled about the fire.

"Oh no, here comes another sermon," Lydia hissed, rolling her eyes as Mary came to take a seat beside her aunt.

"Such events are immoral, debasing, and go directly against anything a pious Christian woman ought to believe."

"Oh do lighten up, won't you Mary?" Lydia jeered, "We are not all as holy and perfect as you are."

"I did not say I was holy, I simply said it is a debasing form of entertainment!" Mary retorted passionately, her sister's aggravating words obviously achieving their purpose.

"It's so utterly debasing, so entirely immoral, but I kept my engagement a secret from my entire family and _that_ is perfectly acceptable," Lydia mimicked her sister's tone dramatically.

"That is _not_ the same, Lydia, and you know it!" Mary's voice rose slightly.

"Girls! Girls!" Mrs Gardiner interrupted just as Lydia prepared her reply, "I shan't have you fighting over this. We each have our own convictions of right and wrong, and as long as no boundaries are crossed we shall respect our differences in opinion."

Lydia rolled her eyes once more and, sticking her tongue out at her sister, returned to her work in a huff.

Mary, who believed she was entirely in the right, sat back with a sigh and shook her head in disapproval at her sisters.

"I cannot understand how girls who have been raised in a Christian home can be so-"

"Enough, Mary!" Mrs Gardiner warned, "I admire your fervour in the upholding of what you believe is right, but you _must_ learn to accept that your sisters do not always see things the way you do."

"Very well," the girl grumbled and, rather than remain in the rather hostile company she now found herself surrounded by, she made her escape back to her room, where she could write in peace.

"What do you think?" a different voice called and Jane, who had been upstairs trying on her almost-completed dress, came floating into the room.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Kitty exclaimed, taking in the particulars of the costume.

Jane had chosen to go as Khloris, the Greek Goddess of Flowers. At first, Lydia had insisted she should go as Aphrodite, but Kitty had soon stated absolutely _everyone_ would have that exact same idea and so a Greek mythology novel had been fetched, and another character searched for.

Jane's dress had been relatively easy to adjust, especially as Catherine had insisted on helping, and doing much of the work for her.

Hundreds of ornamental flowers had been sewn onto the skirt of a plain, white dress – enough to completely hide the skirt's material - and appeared to be a meadow of flowers wrapped loosely about her waist, and falling gracefully to her ankles.

"Breathtakingly beautiful, my dear!" Mrs Gardiner added, nodding in approval at the tasteful design, and mesmerizing effect of the flowers that rustled slightly as Jane walked.

"Do you not think it will be too much?" Jane asked with a puzzled expression.

"Not at all!" Lydia said decisively and gave her sister a bright smile.

"I am glad! I love it too well not to wear it to the ball!"

"Let me just adjust one more little-" Kitty muttered, pulling in the dresses waistline and pinning it to be tightened ever so slightly.

"There!" she said, now satisfied her work was completed.

"Thank you, dearest," Jane whispered as she pulled her in for a quick hug, and then left to change back into her morning dress.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Another one done! Hope you enjoyed it!

 **Azilou38 –** Thanks for your review, and thank you even more for correcting my French! It's been a few years since I last wrote or spoke it and I definitely need to refresh my memory!

 **Readergirl4985 –** After Lizzy, Kitty is my favourite too so I'm definitely going to do my best for a happy ending for her.

 **Canadian Bacon Unicorn –** Haha Mrs Bennet always disrupts everything, so it ought to be very interesting! I'll soon be skipping ahead almost a week in time as the story has finally provided me the opportunity NOT to write it day by day so we are heading towards Pemberley and the wedding at a much faster pace!

 **Skrech13 –** I also wish I could focus on each of the girls in greater depth, but running so many storylines simultaneously is much trickier than I first thought. Once I finish this fic I plan on writing separate POVs for Lydia, Kitty, and Jane that complement this main storyline, so let's hope that will be something you guys are interested in as well.

Anyhoo, I shall post another update tomorrow! See you all then, and as always, thanks for reviewing, reading, and coming on this journey with me!


	52. An Intermission at Gracechurch Street

The Viscount arrived an hour later, with a young boy stumbling on behind him trying desperately to maintain his balance as he carried an enormous arrangement of flowers.

"Oh, they are absolutely lovely!" Jane beamed, as the young boy plopped them down on the drawing-room table, nearly upsetting one of Catherine's drying canvases.

"Terribly sorry, miss," he stuttered as Kitty hurried to save her work.

In an impressive show of maturity, the girl flashed the boy a small smile and reassured him no harm had been done.

"I shall ask Sally to find a vase for them and place them in my room," Jane thought out loud, hurrying from the room in search of the maid. In Jane's absence, Kitty racked her brain for something to say to the smiling Viscount.

"Will you be attending Lord and Lady Hundley's Masquerade next week, sir?" she, at last, inquired, occupying herself with rearranging the objects on her work-table.

"Certainly. My mother is eager to see what surprises Lady Hundley will conjure this year, so we shan't miss it for the world."

"And whom shall you be dressing as, if I may be so bold?" Lydia chipped in.

"I am not entirely sure, Miss Lydia. In all honesty, costumes are not something I have given much thought."

"As I suspected," Lydia sighed, "If you must know, Jane will be dressed as a Greek goddess and would it not be absolutely darling if your attire matched hers?"

"Lydia!" Kitty hissed, surprised at her sister's manner of speaking to the Viscount.

"What?" Lydia exclaimed, sending a mean look her sister's way.

"Oh never mind!" Kitty shrugged, shaking her head and lowering her gaze to the work before her.

"Thank you kindly for your suggestion, Miss Lydia, I shall certainly keep it in mind!"

At that moment Jane reappeared with Sally in tow.

"I shall see to it these are taken up to your room immediately, miss," the girl grinned, dropping a deep curtsey as she noticed the Viscount's presence.

"Shall we sit?" Andrew offered, motioning to the couch closest to the fireplace.

With a nod, Jane allowed herself to be guided in the direction of the couch and, taking a seat beside the tall gentleman she inquired after Margaret.

"I am afraid she has been the wellspring of much hair-pulling and scuttling for her poor maid," Andrew replied with a laugh, patting his coat pockets as he spoke.

"She asked me to bring you this," he explained, pulling out a small trinket, "and to send you her 'greetings and most gracious salutations,'" the Viscount repeated, squinting slightly as he tried to remember her exact words.

"What in the world made her part with such a dear little doll?" Jane asked in surprise as she examined the expertly fashioned, quaint little figure that lay in her hands.

"I was not careful enough when sharing the news of our courtship with my mother and father, and I fear the little sprite heard it all and now will not remain silent about you or your sisters for more than a minute at a time."

"Oh dear," Jane giggled, "I am glad, however, that she does not object to our relationship!"

"On the contrary, she seems very pleased with the fact."

"And what of your parents?"

"Do you truly believe it is necessary to ask? They are beyond happy."

Jane's smile grew slightly.

"And you grow more beautiful every time I see you," the Viscount whispered, taking hold of Jane's hand for a second before once more letting go.

Poor Jane barely knew where to look, and even less what to say, yet she could not hide her light blush at the Viscount's flattery.

"Did you attend yesterday's session?" she, at last, found her voice and attempted to show off her newfound knowledge of the English political system.

"I did not," Andrew declined, although his appreciation for Jane's effort to find mutually interesting topics of conversation warmed his heart.

"My father is still an active member, and I shan't take his place for many years to come, so I am quite happy with only attending once or, at most, twice a week."

"Ah, I see."

"Your sister informed me you shall all be attending Lord and Lady Hundley's masquerade Friday next," the gentleman offered.

"Oh, yes! Mr Darcy was kind enough to obtain invitations for all of us, and I must say I am quite excited – it will be my very first masquerade!"

"I would suggest you come prepared for enough extravagance to last you the rest of your life," the Viscount warned with a smile, adding, "Of course I _must_ ask for your first and supper sets, or I shall be deemed a rather underwhelming suitor in comparison to what you shall experience on the day."

"You need not even ask, sir. They are both freely yours," Jane whispered, exercising her newly discovered confidence in the gentleman's presence.

"I shall not take such a favour for granted," the man replied earnestly.

* * *

Thus much of Jane's morning played out – a sometimes shy, sometimes bold, interaction between two young people who remained not entirely sure of themselves, but certain they could trust in the other's understanding of their own emotions.

* * *

In the meantime, Catherine found herself once more descending into hysterical giggling, something that had not occurred since last she was home at Longbourn. Mr Winthrope, having arrived soon after the Viscount, brought with him a thick piece of black cloth which, he informed Kitty, would serve as a blindfold for the first part of their lesson.

At first, the girl vehemently asserted she 'could not possibly' paint anything even slightly appealing without being able to see but, at the old man's insistence, she finally relented and listened carefully to his instructions.

"Now, my girl, we shall test the true bounds of your creativity," he said with a mischievous wink as he chose a large canvas, and placed it before her.

"You shan't be using a brush or pencil today, but rather relying entirely on your hands and imagination to create something new!"

"You must be joking, sir!" the girl exclaimed, as the old man set out large bowls of paint beside her.

"I assure you I am not!" he grinned, "You will not know what colour you are painting with, nor will you be able to ask me any questions about the appearance of your work until after you remove the blindfold," he continued.

"But how in the world will I know what I am painting?" the girl exclaimed.

"You won't, and that is exactly the point!" was the gentleman's only answer as he stepped behind her and placed the blindfold over her eyes.

Rolling up her sleeves as far as they would go, she uncertainly set to work.

"As you paint, I want you to focus on the image you would like to produce," he explained as Kitty squealed at the feeling of the cold paint on her fingers.

"Do not doubt the position of your hands nor the colour you have chosen, simply pretend you can see everything you are doing as you work."

"You make it sound deceivingly simple, Mr Winthrope," the girl retorted cheekily, but gave the old man a smile nonetheless.

"Now, to work you go!" he said encouragingly and watched as she tentatively drew the outline of an object with one paint-covered finger.

"Very good," the gentleman grunted as Kitty began to warm up to the exercise even more.

Soon she found herself giggling madly as she dipped one hand into one bowl, and the other into a different one.

"This is too much fun!" she laughed, and soon the Viscount and Jane joined Mr Winthrope to observe her work.

"You make me almost feel jealous for not also taking art classes, Kitty," Jane's voice informed Catherine of her proximity.

"It is never too late to begin!" the girl called out, still fully occupied by the project before her.

A few minutes later the two curious onlookers returned to their seats, and Catherine continued her work in relative silence, only now and then whispering something along the lines of "This is bound to be an utter disaster."

It was just over half an hour later that she, at last, came to a stop, and called out to Mr Winthrope that she had completed what she could of the piece she had in mind.

"Excellent! Now, do not remove the cloth, as this was only the first step in our little experiment," he warned, and Kitty felt the man reach over and remove the canvas from before her.

A minute later he returned and finally allowed her to free herself of her sight-incumberments, which she did with all haste.

"After you have cleaned your hands, you will return and, on this parchment," he said holding up a large piece of drawing paper, "you shall remake the image you just painted."

"Very well!" the girl nodded, having decided not to question the man's methods, and hurried off to wash her hands.

* * *

It took her slightly longer to finish the drawing without a blindfold restricting her view. Being able to see what she was doing allowed her to add far more detail, and thus she spent a full hour on the paper before her. She had chosen to paint a landscape of the Italian countryside, modeled after the illustrations in one of her reference books. The parchment version seemed exactly what she had been aiming for – neat, detailed, and instantly recognizable.

With a secretive grin, Mr Winthrope left to fetch her earlier rendition and, placing it before her with a flourish, he couldn't help but be pleased with her reaction.

The hillsides seemed to have been the only objects that retained their rightful shape. The houses, or rather crude, house-like structures, she had attempted to bring to life were scattered about the sky, with only one or two being positioned correctly. The sheep and animals she had chosen to add were almost as large as the houses, and the clouds seemed to blend over the hills like a thick mist.

Within that head-scratchingly curious painting, there was something that brought undeniable joy to both the girl and her teacher.

"I feel as though I should be disappointed with the state of this," she said, pointing to the canvas, "but somehow looking at it makes me both happy, and very tempted to start laughing."

"That was exactly my intention!" Mr Winthrope confessed, "It is easy to start seeing painting and drawing as a chore, or as some sort of exacting science when all it truly ought to be is an outlet for your creativity. These two renditions of the same idea could not be more different, yet both show an incredible amount of talent and imagination."

"I cannot describe how much I enjoyed painting the first picture!" Kitty gushed, glancing at the canvas with sparkling eyes.

"And that is what I never want you to lose. I never want you to lose your love for art. Above all else, painting and drawing should be a way to express yourself, not someone else's ideas or choices. Only yours."

* * *

It took Kitty a good hour to clean her work station after the rather lawless lesson she just had. She couldn't find it in her to complain, however, and soon finished it all and decided upon taking a nap for the remainder of the afternoon.

The Viscount had left several hours ago, and Elizabeth would soon be returning home, but for now, all she really wanted to do was close her eyes and have a rest.

* * *

 _Thursday, February 20th, 1812_

 _"You – you are a dream," Fitzwilliam breathed, slowly running his fingers along my exposed back._

Suddenly Elizabeth awoke, her eyes fluttering ashamedly open, and her cheeks burning despite the cold morning.

"Lizzy?" Jane's sleepy voice called as her sister sat up and tried to get over her remaining embarrassment.

"Go back to sleep, Jane, it is still very early," Elizabeth whispered, praying she wouldn't press the matter further.

Thankfully, her sister fell asleep almost as soon as Lizzy had spoken, and the room was submerged in silence once more. The fire had not yet been lit, and it did Elizabeth's tumultuous thoughts no good wallowing in the overwhelming quietude.

Pulling on a thick dressing gown and slippers, she snuck out of the bedroom and made her way downstairs.

Her face had once more returned to its usual hue, but her heart had not yet stopped racing as she thought back to the happenings of her dream.

She had once gotten hold of a rather scandalous novel when she was thirteen, or maybe it was fourteen, years old, and although she had set the images it had painted from her mind for many years somehow they had now been reawakened.

Her mother had caught her with the book, snatched it from her hands, and vowed to throw it into the fire that very night, but it was too late. She had already learned all there was to learn from the story and it didn't help her moral compass all that much when, three weeks later, she found the book hidden beneath her mother's mattress.

 _I am being fanciful,_ she thought to herself, _it is common knowledge novels of that genre are grossly overexaggerated._

Yet she couldn't prevent a pink blush once more creeping across her cheeks as she shook her head vigorously and took a seat before the blazing fire in the drawing-room, determined to rid her mind of its forbidden imaginations.

* * *

Here Sally found her almost an hour later, fast asleep, her feet curled up onto the couch, and her head cushioned neatly by her hands.

"Miss Elizabeth," the girl whispered, lightly shaking the sleeping figure before her.

"Yes, Sally?" Elizabeth said in surprise, sitting up and glancing around her in momentary bewilderment.

"A footman came to deliver this for you just a moment ago," she said, smilingly holding out a note and a single rose of a shade Elizabeth had never seen before.

"Thank you, Sally," she whispered drowsily, taking the note and flower from the girl.

 _'My dearest Lizzy,_

 _As promised, today is entirely devoted to you. Georgiana and I shall collect you, and whoever wishes to join us, at ten._

 _I wish you the happiest of birthdays._

 _Forever yours,_

 _Fitzwilliam'_

Fiddling with the rosebud in her hand she re-examined its colour – light coquelicot, with not a single impurity.

Glancing at the clock she was surprised to see the hour hand creeping dangerously close to eight, and so she hurried back to her room, where Jane was only just beginning to stir.

"Jane, Jane, dearest, Fitzwilliam has gotten it into his head to collect us all for an outing at ten. You shall soon need to get dressed," the girl didn't seem to register her sister's words so Elizabeth, giving a slight huff of amused annoyance gave her a little shake.

"Jane! Do get up, Mr Darcy shall be here soon and we must get ready!" this seemed to do the trick as Jane's eyes shot open and she leaped from beneath the blankets.

"Mr Darcy, coming here?" she asked sleepily.

"Yes! I don't suppose Lydia or Kitty will be able to join us but I shall go ask Mary and Aunt Marianne if they would like to."

"Very well, I shall find Alison and let her get started on my hair," Jane said decisively and followed her sister from the room.

Waking Mary was surprisingly easy – only because she was already awake when Lizzy knocked lightly on her door.

Convincing her to join their party, however, was not as easy. No matter what incentive Elizabeth used, Mary consistently declined, claiming she would have far too much work to do that day. She did, however, bestow a light hug on her elder sister and whisper a smiling 'Happy Birthday' before Lizzy left, this time in search of her aunt.

Mrs Gardiner was located in the nursery, rocking a once more sleeping Benjamin lightly as she paced from one end of the room to the other.

"Good morning," Elizabeth whispered, stepping over to the smiling woman.

"Good morning, Lizzy, and happy birthday," Marianne murmured in reply, placing little Benjamin back in his cot.

"Mr Darcy has arranged some sort of outing for us today, and I was not sure whether or not you would like to accompany us? By us, I mean myself, Jane, Mr Darcy, and Georgiana."

"Oh, that sounds lovely, my dear, but I'm afraid I shall have to forgo this outing. _Someone_ has to keep an eye on Catherine and Lydia, and Dorothy has been feeling a little ill lately so I simply can't leave them alone today."

"Oh, poor girl, is it a fever?" Elizabeth asked in sympathy.

"No, no, nothing to fret over, just a simple cold, or perhaps she simply wants to avoid her lessons and garner her mother's attention."

"Tell her I hope she feels better very soon," Lizzy smiled, stepping from the nursery and hurrying to her room to get dressed.

* * *

When Fitzwilliam and Georgiana arrived, they were surprised to find only Jane and Elizabeth waiting for them.

"Won't Catherine and Lydia be joining us?" Georgi asked after wishing Lizzy a happy birthday.

"I'm afraid not. They have lessons today and will likely only join us for tea this afternoon," Elizabeth explained as Fitzwilliam pulled her in for a one-armed hug, and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Happy birthday, my dear," he whispered, as Jane and Georgiana shyly averted their eyes. Poor Elizabeth had to fight desperately to keep her cheeks from turning red as Fitzwilliam's touch reminded of her dream that morning.

Catching sight of the rose he had sent sticking out from the side of her bonnet, Fitzwilliam grinned, "I see the rose has found a new resting place."

"I absolutely adore it," she murmured, and pulled away slightly, linking arms with Jane as they stepped into the relative cold and hurried toward the waiting carriage.

* * *

Fitzwilliam would reveal nothing about their destination, and Elizabeth and Jane spent a delightful half-hour desperately guessing, and doing their best to extract the truth from their companions.

"Are we going on a picnic?" Jane smiled, enjoying the game far more than she wanted to obtain the truth.

"Goodness, no!" Georgi exclaimed.

"Perhaps we are on our way to Bond Street," Elizabeth interrogated, although she did not truly believe shopping was part of Fitzwilliam's plan for the day.

"Never!" Darcy grinned.

"Then I give up!" Elizabeth laughed.

It was a fortuitous coincidence that the carriage drew to a halt just as the words left Elizabeth's mouth, and two heads excitedly peeked out of the window in curiosity.

"Where in the world are we?" Elizabeth muttered, seeing nothing out of the ordinary in the neat little street lined with charming townhouses.

"Shall we disembark?" Fitzwilliam suggested, stepping from the carriage and offering his hand to help the girls down.

"Fitzwilliam, whatever are we doing here?" Lizzy asked, her curiosity now threatening to reduce her to nagging.

"You shall know in a minute."

The little party made its way up a large stone staircase toward an even more impressive carved wooden door that swung open almost as soon as Fitzwilliam knocked.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hi everyone! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I am currently going over each of the previous chapters and scanning them for typos, words or ideas that wouldn't fit in with the time period, and just generally cleaning up the flow of the story as I go. It's so strange to read the first chapters I wrote, when I didn't think anything would come of the story, and when I compare those chapters to the ones I'm working on now I can clearly see how much my writing has improved. So I just wanted to say thank you to each and every one of you. I started this story thinking it would be 10 chapters max, and we've just passed over 50! Every chapter is such an outlet for my imagination, and writing every day has done wonders for my style and skill development.

Thank you all for sticking with me despite the occasional inaccuracies, the typos, and the boring bits. I really appreciate it so much!

If I ever do decide to publish (after a whole lot of editing work obviously) I'll have to list all of you guys - the regular reviewers, the guys who send me PMs to encourage me or help me out - in the book because without you I would not have gotten this far.

Anyhoo, on to the reviews.

 **Another Lizzie -** now that you mention it, I do think it's a rather modern phrase so I'll certainly change it ASAP. Thank you for pointing it out!

 **Canadian Bacon Unicorn -** Haha I thought we should give him a surprise skill of some sort, other than the usual gentlemanly hobbies men of the time had. I'll certainly have a scene where he's playing, but most likely only after the wedding, or when they are at Pemberley. By the way, I LOVE your username! I have no clue what it's supposed to mean but somehow it just sounds cool.

 **Nowamamamia -** Thanks so much for your comment. I'm trying my best to flesh out the characters in the story, give them slightly more real, relatable emotions. So I'm really happy you noticed!

To everyone else, as always, you rock for tolerating my butchering of JA's pride and joy. xD  
Until the next chapter,

Sammy


	53. A Peculiar Man and a Disfigured Scarab

"Ah! Mr Darcy!" a rather short gentleman exclaimed, his grey moustache flicking as he spoke.

"Good morning, Mr Durand," the young man greeted, "May I introduce my betrothed, Elizabeth Bennet, and her sister Jane. And of course, this is my dear sister Georgiana," he explained, pointing to each of the smiling, curtseying women in return.

"Mr Jacques Durand was a member of the Institut d'Égypte right from the start, but he left soon after the war began. He has been kind enough to allow us to view his private collection of artefacts, and act as both a guide and teacher throughout our tour," Darcy explained, noticing Elizabeth's smile growing wider with every word.

"This must be some sort of a joke!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her heart nearly skipping a beat.

"Most certainly not, my dear," Mr Durand said earnestly, gazing slightly disapprovingly at her over his large, gold-rimmed spectacles.

"Oh, I meant no disrespect sir, I am just entirely taken aback at an opportunity such as this," she explained excitedly, "I have so many questions about Egypt and its history I fear I shall keep you busy all day."

"Ah, but I am at your service for only two hours, so you shall have to ask quickly," the man joked and motioned for the group to follow him.

"I spent more than three years in the country. I was in Cairo when young Pierre-François discovered the Rosetta Stone, and I was one of the first savants to get a look at it. Working on it's deciphering was, perhaps, the highlight of my career."

"Is it true the hieroglyphs were first thought to be a Syriac inscription?" Elizabeth asked eagerly, nearly jogging to keep up as the old man hurried along a rather dark hallway.

"What do you know of Syriac, girl?" Mr Durand asked in surprise, coming to a halt before a set of heavy-looking doors.

"Only that it is a derivative of Aramaic that was spoken in Mesopotamia and Syria, sir," Elizabeth replied, slightly confused at the gentleman's reaction.

" _Hmph!"_ the old man snorted, "Why did you not tell me your fiancée had read the _Description d'Égypte_?"

"I did not suppose it would be necessary, Mr Durand," Fitzwilliam answered his own confusion now evident on his face.

"It is only I have never met a woman who has any substantial knowledge to warrant an interest in Egyptian artefacts. It is only ever those, those _femmes idiotes_ that want to visit for their 'fashion plates' and their 'furniture decorations'. How I detest them!"

The man's face had turned red in anger as he spoke, and Lizzy feared he would soon have a fit, but almost as suddenly as his outburst had come, he calmed down once more.

"Nevermind," he huffed, "At least I shall not feel like jumping from my window today."

And with that, he pushed open the large doors and revealed an enormous, brightly lit study, with full-length display cases lining all four its walls.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Georgiana exclaimed as she followed Elizabeth in.

"It is, it is," Mr Durand agreed, "and it took many years of backbreaking work to discover and record it all. That is why I have no servants – only a cook. I once employed a girl to simply clean my bedroom and the sitting room and it was not a week later that I came home to a disfigured scarab! Something about dusting the shelves she had said! And to think, I had instructed her never to enter this room!"

Although the idea of any of the pieces housed in the man's home being damaged horrified Lizzy, she couldn't help but feel the urge to laugh at his apparently very short temper.

"Now! If you will follow me, I shall show you some of the scarabs that are still intact," he said, and the four visitors followed him meekly, any thought of touching one of the artefacts, or even breathing to close to them, now completely out of the question.

* * *

It was a full four hours, several cups of tea, and many fascinating stories later that the small party left Mr Jacques Durand's house with bright smiles and sincere 'thank yous' from them all.

Jane and Georgiana had grown incredibly bored around the third hour, and so they were inconceivably pleased by the change in scenery as they were helped into the carriage and fell into their seats.

"That was by far the most exciting history lesson I have ever had," Elizabeth gushed as she slipped into the seat beside Fitzwilliam.

"I'm afraid I lost all focus by the eighth dynasty, Lizzy," Georgiana groaned, rubbing her temples as she lay back with closed eyes.

"I did warn you it might be a long visit, Georgi," Fitzwilliam grinned.

"I, for one, found Mr Durand to be a _most_ quaint individual," Jane offered.

"Do not fret, I promise I shan't ever force you to sit through four hours of ancient Egyptian history again," Elizabeth laughed as she surveyed the faces of the two women opposite her.

"Thank you!" Georgiana exclaimed dramatically, and the girls were reduced to giggles once more.

"Where are we going next?" Jane queried curiously.

"Home! I am starving and shan't be able to hold even slightly sensible conversation until I have obtained some sustenance," Georgi insisted, and Fitzwilliam nodded in agreement.

"I fear for the quality of my sister's conversation, so we shall simply _have_ to return home. I am sure Jeanne will be able to prepare something."

"I cannot deny I am rather hungry as well," Elizabeth commented, the grumbling of her stomach only now becoming apparent as her excitement over the outing died down.

* * *

Immediately after stepping into the entrance hall of Darcy House all four of the hungry, weary party's senses were assaulted by a most divine smell.

Sweet cinnamon and nutmeg wafted their way, paired with the distinctive aroma of cocoa, and something savoury too.

Elizabeth's stomach grumbled again and she gave a small laugh of embarrassment as she tried to hide the sound.

"Oh, that smells heavenly!" Georgiana exclaimed, and the group hurried forward, eager to discover the source of the salivating scent.

Stepping into the room, Lizzy was surprised to find not only Lydia and Kitty present, but Mary, Mr, and Mrs Gardiner, the Gardiner children, and the Matlocks too.

"Oh! I did not expect you to be here!" Elizabeth remarked, a bright smile now gracing her face as she hurried to greet the Countess and her family.

"We wouldn't miss a celebration of such a calibre for anything, my dear," Lady Matlock said with a smile, "besides, I have not seen my nephew in what feels like ages, and I have come to rectify that, Fitzwilliam."

"It's always a pleasure to see you, aunt, uncle," Mr Darcy said with a smile.

"It ought to be, Fitzwilliam or I would be quite annoyed," Amelia joked.

"How fares Pemberley, my boy?" the Earl asked, shaking Mr Darcy's hand as Elizabeth stepped aside to greet the Viscount who stood struggling to keep Margaret at bay.

"Good afternoon, sir!" Elizabeth smiled, "And good afternoon to you too, Miss Fitzwilliam! May I say your dress is very pretty!"

"Good morning, Elizabeth," she greeted, a grin forming on her face, "and may I extend the same compliment to you - very fashionable," she said in an endearingly haughty manner.

"Margaret, Miss Elizabeth is far older than you, it is certainly not acceptable for you to address her in such a manner," Lord Fitzwilliam reprimanded gently as Elizabeth crouched down to the girl's level.

"Your father is correct, Margaret, however, I am more than happy to have you call me Elizabeth or Lizzy. Just remember to ask before taking that same liberty with some other lady or gentleman."

"I know!" the girl said confidently, although her pink cheeks belied her embarrassment at her father's public admonishment.

Thankfully the feeling was short-lived as the girl caught sight of Jane and nearly sprinted over to her, "Jane!" she squealed, hurling herself at the woman, "Is it really true, are you going to be my mama?" she inquired excitedly.

"Oh, I, uh, I," Jane stuttered, unsure what to say.

"Margaret Fitzwilliam, did your father not tell you to be more respectful mere seconds ago?" Lady Matlock called.

"Yes, but –"

"No 'but's, my girl," the countess silenced her and, stepping over, gave Jane a sly wink before steering the girl toward the dining room.

"I did not arrange a formal luncheon," Georgiana announced as everyone, at last, fell silent, intent on obtaining something to eat, "however, I thought we could all simply help ourselves to the refreshments and food set out in the dining room as we felt fit."

A murmur of agreement came up from the group, and soon they all made their way in search of the tables, piled high with every pastry and sandwich imaginable.

"This is absolutely delicious, Georgi, thank you!" Lizzy said after she had somewhat satisfied the gnawing in her stomach.

"I am happy you like it," the girl grinned, "and, as we did for Lydia's birthday, I thought we could have a few dances later, and perhaps a few songs as well."

"That sounds perfect, dear," Lizzy whispered, pulling the girl in for a hug.

* * *

Once everyone had satisfied their hunger, the group moved to the music room, where everything but the pianoforte had been moved out or away from the center.

"Can I play a song, Miss Georgi?" Dorothy asked as soon as her eyes fell on the beautiful instrument.

"Of course! Here, let me help you set it up," Georgi smiled, helping the girl get up on the seat as the rest of the party took their seats on chairs set up for that purpose.

"You look lovely, my dear," Marianne whispered to her niece as they listened to Dorothy play a simple tune to which Georgiana sang along.

"Thank you, aunt," Elizabeth beamed.

"Can we dance, Lizzy?" Louis asked shyly as Dorothy's song came to an end and everyone clapped good-naturedly.

"Certainly!'' Elizabeth grinned.

"Am I being replaced?" Mr Darcy's amused voice called from behind Lizzy, where he sat talking to the Viscount and his uncle.

"It seems you are, Mr Darcy. Young Louis saw an opportunity and took it, and you cannot deny you failed to do the same," Elizabeth laughed, standing up as Georgiana began a lively tune.

Soon Lydia, Kitty, Emma, and Margaret joined them. Mary, who had seemed apprehensive at the prospect of dancing, was given no choice when Dorothy came and dragged her along after her. The Viscount and Jane followed soon after, and eventually, Mr Darcy found he was the only one remaining seated.

That didn't last very long, however, as Elizabeth soon skipped over and, without a word, grabbed her fiancé's hand and pulled him to the floor.

"Louis has decided to join Dorothy and Mary," she laughed breathlessly as Fitzwilliam's hand slyly wrapped around her waist and pulled her close for a split second before they parted once more.

"I can't say I am not pleased," Fitzwilliam grinned.

* * *

Soon it was Elizabeth's turn at the pianoforte and, accompanied by Lydia, the two performed a pretty Italian duet. Lydia's voice was strong and sweet, while Elizabeth's was relatively lower and more restrained, and together they managed to draw a tear from both Lady Matlock and Mrs Gardiner's eyes.

"Beautiful, girls! Absolutely beautiful!" the two women called out, as Catherine decided to take their place. Soon a high-spirited melody once more filled the air and the group found themselves being drawn to the floor once again.

It was during this time that Mr Darcy saw his opportunity. Grabbing Elizabeth by the hand he hurriedly pulled her from the room and toward the library.

"Fitzwilliam, where are we going?" she laughed, her spirits still soaring from the good company and entertainment.

"Today is not a good day for that question, my dear," Darcy answered mysteriously as they entered the room.

Immediately Fitzwilliam's lips were on Elizabeth's and for a minute nothing could be heard except an occasional gasp for air.

"If you brought me all this way just to kiss me, I could have saved you the walk," Elizabeth panted, Fitzwilliam still refusing to let her go.

"You vixen," Fitzwilliam said, his tone husky.

"I do, however, have another reason for our little escapade," he said, stepping toward one of the bookshelves and revealing a small box, which he placed in Elizabeth's hands, before placing a kiss on her lips once more.

"Fitzwilliam," Lizzy said with a sigh, "you really shouldn't have."

"Open it," he said, silencing any further protest the woman could have voiced.

Pulling off the lid she let out a small 'oh' as a large golden signet ring glimmered back at her.

"It is an exact copy of my own signet ring," Fitzwilliam explained placing his own ring in her hand beside the new one as Elizabeth examined them both.

A simple, yet weighty gold ring, with a swivel bezel on which the Darcy family crest was engraved, Lizzy felt fascinated by its design.

"It is used to seal all my personal and business correspondence, and I want you to have one too. You previously expressed your uncertainty regarding your position at Pemberley, and I hope that this will assure you I will only ever see you as equal to myself."

Elizabeth couldn't stop the tears from forming in her eyes once more. The tension from the past months, and the anticipation of the fast-approaching wedding having rendered her far more emotional than usual.

"I, I don't," Lizzy stammered slightly, at last settling on a simple, "Thank you."

With a few stray tears making their way down her cheeks, Lizzy took hold of Fitzwilliam's cravat and pulled him down. Her lips hovering less than an inch from his own, she breathed, "I love you, William," before he closed the distance and the two were lost to the world once more.

* * *

By the time they returned, Catherine had started a new song and, if anyone had noticed Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth's absence they said nothing of it.

Lizzy had carefully placed the ring in her reticule, unsure of whether or not it would be wise to wear it before they were married, and so the young couple laughingly joined the rest of the group as they prepared for yet another dance.

* * *

It was much later that afternoon when the, now entirely worn out, Gardiner party made their way home. Elizabeth received a letter from her father wishing her well on her birthday, and she was surprised to find a note attached from her mother that did not, for once, only contain commands and lamentations.

Spending a quiet evening together, the girls playing with Louis, Dorothy, and Emma, and Mr and Mrs Gardiner quietly seated at the fire reading, the entire household retired at nine, and not a sound was heard throughout the night.

* * *

 **A/N:**

So I found the time to edit and proofread this chapter last night and thought, why not post it today? xD

I hope you guys liked the birthday celebration idea I had, it felt like a very Lizzy/Darcy sort of outing.

Anyhoo,

 **Canadian Unicorn Bacon -** Haha well it's a funky username to use! I had a lesson similar to Catherine's when I still went to art class and it was loads of fun, you should definitely try it! I like showing the side of Lizzy that is somewhat disconcerted by her body and mind's reaction to Fitzwilliam. At the time such impulses and feelings were obviously taboo, but that doesn't mean no one felt them, they just weren't talked about.

 **Deanna27 -** It's always a pleasure to see your reviews pop up! I hope I'm doing the story justice as you've stuck with it longer than most of the new readers! xD

 **readergirl4985 -** Ah! the Colonel will be returning home with quite a few surprises soon. I've tried to loosely base what he's been doing on actual events at the time so much of his work centred around the Napoleonic Wars (or Peninsular Wars) and he's spent much of his time in Spain thus far. Ought to make for an interesting story once he's back home!

I'll try sticking to posting more often as much as I can. I think I'll be able to post once every 2 days instead of every 3-4. Let's see how long I can keep it up! 


	54. It Comes in Twos

_Friday, February 21st, 1812_

Friday morning brought rain. It poured down in sheets and left everyone in the Gardiner home running from one fireplace to the next.

Lydia and Catherine had been given a day off from their lessons and both girls intended to make the most of it.

The former slept in, not rising until well after noon, while Kitty arose at eight, and soon found herself in her uncle's carriage, accompanying Elizabeth to Mrs Baudelaire's workshop.

* * *

'Workshop' was, perhaps, an inept description. Mrs Baudelaire's store felt more like a little palace. Thick curtains were drawn over the windows, and inside the enormous room was brightly lit by three chandeliers. Luxuriously upholstered gold, cream, and beige couches lined one corner, while mirrors and a small podium stood in another.

Instead of a dressing screen, a large gazebo of curtains had been set up left centre of the room, and close by a massive fire burnt happily away.

The two girls were warmly greeted by Mrs Baudelaire and two of her assistants, the only people present as Mr Darcy had instructed the entire store be reserved for Elizabeth's use that morning.

"I am so excited to show you the dresses, darling!" Mrs Baudelaire sang, "But first, Lucy! Lucy! Do get Miss Elizabeth and Miss Catherine a cup of hot chocolate each. You must be freezing!"

"I believe I am shivering more from nervous excitement than the cold outside!" Elizabeth laughed as she and Kitty were offered seats on a plush couch while the second assistant, a woman of around thirty, hurried into a side room.

"Oh, there is nothing to be nervous about, Lizzy! You will look beautiful in anything!" Kitty exclaimed.

"Your dress has also been prepared for a fitting today, Miss Catherine," the modiste said with a charming smile, "I thought you would like to try yours on first so Lillian has gone to fetch it."

"Oh!" Kitty exclaimed, her own excitement now leaving her mute.

* * *

Kitty had requested a dress that looked magical – and Mrs Baudelaire certainly did not disappoint.

As Elizabeth sat sipping on sweet hot chocolate, Catherine was helped into a shimmering spectre of a dress that was more beautiful than anything she had ever seen.

A deep, dark turquoise skirt, embellished with thousands of small crystals, perfectly complemented a pale peach bodice with seemingly hundreds of delicate folds. Its short sleeves were made of thin lace that perfectly matched the bodice's hue, and the skirt's loose material lightly clung to her legs in a way that appeared _almost_ improper, but not quite.

"Oh, it is magnificent!" Elizabeth exclaimed getting up to examine the dress in more detail.

"I feel like a princess," Kitty giggled, twirling and watching as the material of her skirt ballooned around her.

"You look like one, too! I shall lend you the diamond hairpins Mr Darcy gave me as I can't imagine anything could suit it better."

"Oh, will you?" Kitty exclaimed ecstatically.

"That is an excellent choice, Miss Elizabeth," Mrs Baudelaire commented, "it will suit the dress beautifully."

As Lucy and Lillian gently pinned and loosened the dress to fit Kitty's figure, Elizabeth returned to her seat and her hot chocolate.

She doubted her mother and father would recognize her sister once they returned to Hertfordshire, she had changed so drastically throughout the past few weeks. No longer awkward and shy, nor loud and inappropriate, and she was sure her father would be greatly impressed and surprised. She did not know what her mother's reaction would be, but the change in Kitty was nothing if not positive.

Soon it was Elizabeth's turn to stand, and Mrs Baudelaire instructed Lillian to fetch the wedding gown first. It would require the most attention and it would be a travesty if they left it till the end and then did not have the energy to do it justice.

At first glance, the gown seemed incredibly understated. It was of pure ivory silk and had only a single border of emeralds, which to Kitty seemed slightly underwhelming, but she soon changed her mind once Lizzy had put it on.

"Oh – my – lord –" she exclaimed, her mouth hanging slightly open as Elizabeth shyly stepped into the middle of the room.

"Ah! C'est stupéfiant! C'est magnefique! C'est, c'est, incredible!" Mrs Baudelaire exclaimed, her French for once failing her.

Elizabeth did, indeed, look stunning. Her time in Kent had brought back some of the tan of her skin, which contrasted bewitchingly well with the pure, shimmering whiteness of her dress.

The off-the-shoulder hemline, while revealing much of her chest and her shoulders, failed to appear improper, rather working wonders to accentuate her slim frame and well-defined figure.

The thin border of emeralds sparkled vibrantly in the light, and brought out the green specks in Elizabeth's otherwise hazel eyes and, once Mrs Baudelaire placed the emerald studded headpiece on top of Lizzy's simply styled hair, Catherine could swear her sister looked like royalty.

"Good heavens, Lizzy, I don't think I've ever seen something this beautiful."

Mrs Baudelaire beamed as she nodded enthusiastically.

"We have struck gold with this," the woman said breathlessly, taking in her work.

There was very little for Lillian and Lucy to adjust – the waistline only needed to be tightened, and the skirt shortened ever so slightly.

The headpiece – a swirling contraption of gold and green, which would be braided into her hair, was equally as intricately made, and Elizabeth marveled at the modiste's craftsmanship in its creation.

* * *

It took well over two hours for Elizabeth to try on the remaining dresses, pelisses, equestrian outfits, and robes. Kitty couldn't find it in her to complain, however, as she, at last, had her sister to herself and could simply enjoy the time they spent together.

It was only when it was time to fit the nightgowns that Kitty was ushered from the main room by Lillian, under the pretext of looking at a few designs for her masquerade dress.

Working quickly, Elizabeth was handed the nightgowns in rapid succession, only keeping them on long enough for Mrs Baudelaire herself to check the measurements, and then moving on to the next.

The last gown - a deep, wine-red piece made of paper thin material – however, tempted Elizabeth to catch a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. What she saw first made her blush, and then smile foolishly, a shimmer of disbelieving tears in her eyes.

It had an incredibly low neckline, plunging directly from her shoulders and almost reaching her belly button, and it clung desperately, if not tightly to her figure.

Previously she would have refused to imagine wearing such a thing but, in light of her recent dreams, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of Fitzwilliam seeing her in it.

"You look precisely as a young, passionate wife should, Miss Elizabeth," the lady commented, patting the girl on the arm, before stepping out to give her some privacy.

Elizabeth's eyes wandered over her reflection in the mirror and, on an impulse, she hurriedly pulled the pins from her hair and shook it loose.

As her dark curls fell around her shoulders, she turned sideways and smiled wistfully. The reflection looked nothing like the country girl she had been mere weeks ago – she looked seductive, immoral, and exactly the 'temptress' Mr Darcy often called her. Yet she couldn't object to any of it. It would be a side of her no one but Fitzwilliam would ever see, and the fact that it would be their secret thrilled her.

Hearing Kitty's voice in the distance, Elizabeth hurriedly pulled off the gown and slipped into the dress she had worn that morning. A minute later all four women reappeared and the final arrangements were made before Kitty and Lizzy left the shop with many thank yous and smiling faces.

* * *

"Lizzy, how did you know you loved Mr Darcy?" Kitty's voice interrupted Elizabeth's thoughts as she gazed out of the carriage window.

"I am ashamed to admit it now, but I didn't realize I loved him until long after the fact."

"What do you mean?" Catherine asked in confusion.

"It requires both your heart and mind to be in unison to admit you love someone," Elizabeth explained, "in my case my heart had been lost to Mr Darcy long before my mind would let go of it's injured pride, and in thus doing allow me to know I was in love."

"But how could you be sure?"

"I wish I could tell you there was one simple way to gauge your feelings or analyze your thoughts when it comes to love, but in my experience, you will simply _know_. I realize that sounds dreadfully silly, and is not at all helpful, but it is the only answer I have," Elizabeth elaborated, "Why do you ask?"

"I will tell you, but please promise me you won't say anything to Lydia," Kitty pleaded.

"I have no desire to betray your confidence, Kitty, especially not with Lydia of all people."

"When Colonel Fitzwilliam came to visit in Hertfordshire he at first seemed completely taken with Jane, do you remember?"

"I recall something along those lines, yes," Elizabeth asked, her attention focused fully on her sister.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure what happened but at some point he, well, he seemed to," Kitty stuttered slightly as her ears turned pink, "he seemed to like _me_ more than he did Jane. I'm not trying to be boastful or presumptuous, and I know Jane is far more beautiful than I am but somehow, heaven knows why he seemed to turn his attention to me."

"It's not presumptuous, Kitty, I noticed it too. The Colonel and Jane, in my opinion, do not have complementing personalities, so it is easy to see why he did not pursue their acquaintance."

"But then he left abruptly, without a word of his feelings, or of anything even remotely close to admiration, and I was so incredibly hurt," Kitty squeaked, tears suddenly forming in her eyes as she tried her best to smilingly brush them away.

"Oh, I don't know why I am crying again, it is so far in the past I feel quite ridiculous," she chuckled dismally.

"It is natural, Catherine, he obviously meant very much to you," Lizzy murmured in sympathy, the real effect of the colonel's abandonment only now being made apparent.

"It's just, I felt so sure he held some regard for me, and I was so stupidly wrong about him that now, when Mr Martin seems to take interest in me or hint at something greater than just a friendship, I cannot set aside my doubts that I am once more misreading the situation."

"Oh, Kitty," Elizabeth sighed moving over to her sister's side of the carriage and pulling her into a hug.

"I cannot for the life of me avoid thinking I am misinterpreting his words and actions, and it is driving me mad."

Elizabeth remained silent for a moment, trying to drum up some form of advice for her distraught sister.

Finally, she said, "I cannot say I am an expert at any of this, Kitty. I have only ever been interested in one man, so I do not claim to understand your predicament, but if I were you I would simply ask him. Ask him the very next time you see him so there will be no more uncertainty, and if he denies any feelings on his side, you shall be spared future uncertainty and heartbreak."

"I do not know if I could possibly broach the subject, Lizzy. I would sooner collapse in a puddle of embarrassment before I ask such a brazen question."

"It is certainly _not_ brazen, Catherine. You have the right to ask and to receive an honest answer. Women are far too often expected to remain in an emotional limbo – uncertain whether the gentleman's intentions are of a romantic notion or not."

"And if he says no?"

"Then you have your answer. From there on you can decide whether you wish to remain friends, but at least you will not constantly be worrying over it."

"Do you truly think I could do it?" Kitty asked in disbelief, shaking her head at the thought of being so forward with the young artist.

"I have no doubt of it, my dear. You have grown into a lovely young woman and if Mr Martin does not see that, there are many other gentlemen who will, I assure you."

"I shall try, then, although I cannot promise I will go through with it."

"Just remember I believe in you, Catherine, and that I am always here for you."

"Thank you, Lizzy," the girl replied, her smile having somewhat made its return.

* * *

Darcy House was submerged in silence. Georgiana had left to spend the day with the remaining Bennet girls, and Mr Darcy had been holed up in his office all day.

The gleaming pianoforte stood proud, a mute instrument now its mistress had left, as the rain poured outside in a never-ending sheet.

Fires roared in each of the downstairs rooms, which managed to dispel any sense of gloom, and two sets of footsteps rung out even louder than usual as a shy young maid led a tall, kindly looking gentleman towards the study.

"Mr Darcy," she called gently, knocking on the door.

"Come in!" a muffled voice resonated from behind the sturdy wooden door and the girl obliged.

"Ah, Fitz, I see you are as devoted to your work as always," the gentleman observed, noticing a pile of letters on the desk.

"Andrew, I am pleased you came," Fitzwilliam replied, ignoring the Viscount's attempt at teasing with a smile, and nodding in thanks to the maid as she quietly left and shut the door behind her.

"Have you heard from Reginald regarding the crops?" the Viscount asked, pouring himself some coffee as he took a seat opposite Fitzwilliam.

A few minutes of polite conversation was adhered to, before Darcy, at last, sat slightly forward in his chair.

"I did not ask you here on simply a social visit, Andrew. Elizabeth told me of Edward Reeding's behaviour toward her sister, and I need to know whether or not he is a threat to the safety of either so I can plan accordingly."

"Ah, yes, my father has had some of his men keep an eye on him and does not think the bastard will be any real danger. He is vile, but not nearly brave enough to attempt to harm them."

"I will take your word for it then," Darcy conceded, although he was still not entirely at ease.

After a short pause, he continued, "I also wanted to speak to you about Richard."

"I know," the Viscount sighed, tapping his fingers on the polished arm of the chair he was seated in.

"Has he written when he will be back?" Fitzwilliam asked, a crease across his forehead betraying his worry.

"He has not yet been cleared by the infirmary, and he refuses to return home before he is well enough to walk on his own."

"Why does he have to be so damn stubborn?" Fitzwilliam cursed, arising from his seat and stepping over to the window, where nothing but grey clouds and mist filled his vision.

"He does not wish for my mother to be alarmed more than necessary, Darcy."

"Yes, but he cannot very well lie to her either."

"My father agrees with you, but Richard will not budge. He would not even allow us to arrange for him to be transferred to England, to a better physician. He insists he walked into Spain, and he will walk out as well."

"I cannot lie to Elizabeth about this, Andrew, but I shall swear her to secrecy for Aunt Amelia's sake. If Richard wishes to hide his condition from her, then so be it. I cannot very well agree with his approach, but I can respect it."

"Let us just hope he is able to return soon. I received his letter almost five days ago, so perhaps his situation has changed for the better."

"Perhaps," Fitzwilliam repeated doubtfully, his inability to help his injured cousin weighing heavily on his mind.

"Now, you cannot possibly remain in such a foul mood, Darcy!" the Viscount exclaimed, trying to cheer up his cousin, "Your wedding is only weeks away, and I believe you shall be visiting Miss Elizabeth this evening shan't you? There is much to be happy about."

"True," Darcy conceded, plastering a smile on his face even though his heart was not yet set at ease.

"Shall I challenge you to a game of billiards? You cannot stay cooped up in here all day!"

Reluctantly, Fitzwilliam nodded and followed the Viscount from the room.

A small glass of brandy each and two games later the gentlemen were in much better spirits, and the Viscount was able to leave without constantly being in fear that Darcy would do something rash.

* * *

 _Saturday, February 22nd, 1812_

Saturday was a day of great excitement for the Bennet girls – all except Elizabeth and Catherine. It would be their turn to go for fittings and, after hearing Catherine's descriptions of her dress and the ones Elizabeth had tried on, they were all incredibly eager to see their own creations as well.

It was no surprise, then, that Jane and Lydia were dressed, fed, and ready to leave a full hour before the appointed time. They proceeded to happily rediscuss the details of Elizabeth's wedding dress while Mary sat scribbling away at the breakfast table, an occupation that now took up even more of her time than reading.

* * *

"Girls, the carriage is here," Mrs Gardiner called from the drawing room, and Jane, Lydia, and Mary dutifully rushed to the door.

"Have fun!" Kitty called after them, giggling as Lydia almost tripped over her skirt in her rush.

"What are your plans for today, Lizzy?" Kitty asked with a grin, plopping down beside her sister.

"I thought of practicing on the pianoforte, and perhaps getting some reading done. London outings and obligations have taken up so much of my time I have abandoned music and reading almost entirely!"

"I am nearly done with my dress for the masquearade, would you like to see it?" Kitty ventured.

"Well! You have kept it a secret all week and I am dying to know what you chose!"

"Then I shall finish it this very instant and show you as soon as I am done!" Catherine exclaimed, and rushed off to collect the costume she had spent hours working on.

As Kitty worked, Elizabeth played. She had never really had the patience to focus on her progression, but now found the way the notes filled the room almost therapeutic.

* * *

It was a good hour later that Kitty called from the hallway, "Lizzy, are you ready?"

"Beyond ready, dear!" she replied, letting her hands fall from the keys as she sat waiting expectantly.

"Voila!" Catherine sang, stepping into the room as Elizabeth clapped in approval.

"Oh, I absolutely adore it!" Lizzy praised, taking in the details of what was, quite obviously, a costume of a cat.

Catherine had dyed the dress a dark beige and adorned it with mauve ribbons. Her mask, a handmade piece matching the hue of her dress, had the quaintest little kitten nose and whiskers painted on it, and her headdress, as you may have already guessed, consisted of two cat ears, encrusted with thousands of little crystals that sparkled in the morning light. Around her neck was tied a thick pink bow, which only served to make her look even more kitten like.

"I thought I might as well live up to my nickname, even if it is only for one night!" Catherine giggled, then meowed, much to her sister's amusement.

"It fits you splendidly! And I absolutely adore the ribbons, they're a brilliantly thought out detail," Elizabeth fawned in sincere admiration.

"I am glad you like it! I wasn't too sure if I had added too many, but I see now it was just enough."

"Oh I think you might just have the most creative costume of us all," Lizzy grinned.

"I would be ashamed to call myself an artist if it was not so," Kitty laughed, "I am only still debating whether or not I want to add a tail, or would that be too impractical?"

Elizabeth's answer was interrupted by the maid hurrying inside, "There is a Mr Martin here to see Miss Catherine," she explained, glancing at the closed door.

"Oh dear, I can't possibly be seen walking around in this contraption in broad daylight, can I?" Kitty exclaimed, turning to Elizabeth in desperation, "Please, keep him busy while I change, I promise I shan't be long at all!"

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind seeing you like –" Elizabeth tried, but Catherine had already fled up the stairs and into her room.

"Show him in, Sally," Elizabeth sighed with a disbelieving smile. Her sister may have gotten over some of her shyness but it did seem to return at the most inopportune moments.

"Mr Martin," Elizabeth greeted with a curtsey.

"Miss Elizabeth, I presume?" the young man asked, bowing low.

"I apologize for us meeting under such circumstances, but I am afraid my sister had to see to something important before joining us."

"Oh, there is no need to apologize," he said kindly, taking the seat Elizabeth motioned him towards, "I realize I arrived rather unexpectedly, and I must thank you for overlooking my dreadful manners today."

"Do not fret, sir, I have never been accused of having stellar manners, nor do I expect such a standard from anyone else."

"I can see the stories I have heard are true. Mr Darcy has certainly surprised all of London with his engagement, although I cannot fault his choice."

"I am uncertain whether that is a compliment or an insult, sir, but for my own peace of mind I shall assume it is the former," Elizabeth laughed goodnaturedly.

"Good heavens, I assure you it is," the gentleman grinned.

Soon Sally reappeared with a large teapot, and it was while Elizabeth and Mr Martin were engaged in polite chatter while sipping on the piping hot tea that Kitty came rushing into the drawing-room.

"Mr Martin!" she greeted cheerily, dropping into a low curtsey.

"Good morning, Miss Catherine," the young man returned.

"I did not expect you to visit today, sir," Kitty smiled, taking a seat beside the gentleman.

"Nor did I, but I found myself subconsciously drawn to Gracechurch Street and it does not take a genius to understand why," he explained, his eyes never once leaving Catherine's.

Elizabeth, hoping to get her sister to ask the man the question she had instructed her to ask the previous day, suddenly arose and excused herself to go collect a book from her room.

She knew Kitty would never broach the subject while her sister was in the room, so she did her best to remind her with a big wink as she stepped into the hallway.

"Have you had any new paintings commissioned?" Catherine asked earnestly, trying not to blush at her sister's hinting.

"As a matter of fact I received a request from the Duke of Mallardy to paint his portrait, along with that of his fourteen hounds!"

"Fourteen! Whyever would he want paintings of all of them?"

"Why, he is completely mad on them. Apparently, seven of them sleep on his bed, and seven on his wife's."

"Good lord, I would imagine one would be acceptable, but seven?! I think not!" Kitty laughed in amusement.

"My thoughts exactly!"

A lull in the conversation came soon after Kitty's raucous laughter as Mr Martin explained he had heard Duke Mallardy also had fourteen extra places set at his breakfast table for said hounds.

In the silence Catherine tried desperately to summon the courage her question would require. Elizabeth had believed she could do it, so she certainly could. Could she?

It was only when she noticed Mr Martin's intense gaze directed at her face, that she felt she might have the courage to proceed.

"Mr Martin, Francesco," she corrected herself before the gentleman could, "I realize we have not spent much time together and that we haven't had the opportunity to get well-acquainted, but I must ask if your intentions with –"

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hey guys! Happy Thursday! I've been a bit under the weather the past few days so I'm trying to get some rest and not spend too much time on my computer! In light of that, let's hop straight tp the reviews!

 **oakinbox -** Hi! I am SOOOOOO happy you like the story! And thanks for pointing out the typos, I'll fix them ASAP. It's becoming a bit of a joke that I keep switching Lambton and Hunsford around. I've got a feeling once the characters are all at Pemberley I'll suddenly start saying they're at Hunsford! xD

 **KurukiXV -** I actually got the idea for the signet ring from the movie The Scarlet Pimpernel. It's a really, really old film, but I absolutely love it!

 **ThisNeverHappenedII -** Hi! Thanks so much for dropping a review!

 **Deanna -** YES! I am SO incredibly excited for the Colonel to get back and bring a whole lot of surprises with him!

 **Canadian Bacon Unicorn -** Haha I wouldn't be able to concentrate either. I'd probably get hungry and wander off after an hour! xD I absolutely adore Margaret's character. I imagine her some sort of mix of Annie, and Jane Banks from Mary Poppins!

 **Levenez -** Welcome to the story! It's great to see I'm not the only person that reads a full-length fanfiction in less than a day! Hope you enjoyed the update!

To everyone else, thanks, as always, for reviewing and reading! You guys rock!


	55. The Day Doth Approach

"Mr Martin, Francesco," she corrected herself before the gentleman could, "I realize we have not spent much time together and that we haven't had the opportunity to get well-acquainted, but I must ask if your intentions with –"

The feeling of his lips pressed lightly against hers sent a shock through her body and silenced her instantly.

Almost as soon as it had happened, the young man pulled away, internal conflict evident upon his face.

"I am so sorry, Catherine, I don't know what got into me," he stuttered but could say no more as Kitty herself, after half a second's hesitation, closed the distance between them.

His lips were soft and seemed to know exactly how to move against her own, yet their embrace lasted no more than a few moments before she pulled away once more, out of breath and red-faced.

"My sister may return at any moment," she whispered, hurriedly standing and moving over to the table, desperate to create space between them and hopefully allow herself to think.

Mr Martin did not follow her, instead he ran his hand through his hair and gazed forlornly at her back, cursing himself for his stupidity.

"I, I am so, so sorry," he began, but was quickly cut off as Kitty spun around to face him.

"Please, don't apologize," she pleaded, her cheeks still tinged pink, "I reciprocated and therefore am just as guilty as you are, if it is even feasible to call us that."

"Are you certain?" he queried, moving to her side and taking her hands in his, "I could never forgive myself if I somehow made you feel uncomfortable, or fearful."

"Not for a second," Kitty's voice shook slightly, her mind still desperately trying to process what had just occurred.

Suddenly Elizabeth's voice called out and Catherine and Mr Martin almost leapt out of their skin, "I found the book! Mary had taken it to her room."

"Oh, Lizzy," Kitty stammered slightly, desperately willing her ears not to turn red once again, "I was just showing Mr Martin my, uh, _underwater_ painting," she sighed in relief, thankful said painting had conveniently been displayed on the easel.

"It's quite majestic, isn't it Mr Martin?" Elizabeth asked from the seat she had taken near the fireplace.

"A masterpiece, but then again I am incredibly biased," the latter he whispered only for Kitty's benefit, and the girl thanked him with an uncertain grin.

* * *

The atmosphere in the drawing-room maintained an awkward undertone for much of the remainder of Mr Martin's visit. Kitty had to force herself to stare out the window several times to prevent Elizabeth from noticing her convulsively blushing face, and Mr Martin suddenly found his ability to maintain small-talk had disappeared into thin air.

Thankfully it did not last too long as the gentleman soon made his excuses, stating he still had much to do that day. It did not escape Elizabeth's notice, however, that the young man lingered slightly as he bowed over Catherine's hand.

He had barely left the room when Elizabeth dropped the book beside her and gazed at Catherine questioningly.

"What?" Kitty exclaimed with a nervous laugh.

"Did you speak to him?"

"Oh, Lizzy, I tried but I just couldn't get the words to leave my mouth," she answered, taking solace in the fact that she was not technically lying.

"Don't worry dear, Mr Martin is quite obviously smitten, and I know you shall find the courage to speak to him soon enough."

"I hope so," Kitty whispered, running her finger across her lips as she remembered the way his kiss had felt.

"My dear girl, I do hope you aren't lovesick already," Lizzy teased gently, at which Catherine's cheeks turned violently pink and she squealed at her sister to stop.

"Oh, goodness, I almost forgot I threw my costume on Lydia's side of the bed. She shall be especially annoyed if she finds out as she already scolded me for taking up too much space in the room. I shall return in just a moment," Kitty said as she hurried to the stairs, desperate for some time to make sense of had just happened.

Once her dress had been neatly packed away, she couldn't help but fall onto the bed, the privacy of the room giving her the chance to finally sort through the events of the past half-hour.

 _Well, I suppose there is no denying that Mr Martin does hold me in **some** regard now. He wouldn't very well have kissed me if he didn't. Oh, but I cannot let anyone find out. My reputation would be ruined! Papa would be so disappointed, and Lizzy and Jane too. Oh dear, why did I let him kiss me? Then again, **I** kissed **him** the second time so I am equally to blame. I just have to make it clear it cannot happen again. Not until we are engaged, that is **if** he even wants to marry me. _

_Well, of course, he wants to marry you, Catherine. Why else would he kiss you and then apologize for it? If he had wanted simply to use you, he would not have cared for your feelings at all._

Thus, her mind was kept occupied, any thought of returning to Elizabeth's company long forgotten. It was only when she heard Lydia's squealing and another pair of incredibly excited voices floating up from the drawing room that she leapt to her feet and rushed downstairs. She would have to act as though nothing had changed if she hoped to evade any questions from her aunt and sisters.

* * *

"Oh, Lizzy, you cannot **believe** the dress Mrs Baudelaire made for me," Lydia's voice rang out through the room, "It is _ever_ so stylish, and her assistant assured me it was the very latest fashion from France! I simply cannot wait for the wedding! Just think, I shall be wearing the most beautiful dress, and speaking to all the guests in French! Perhaps one of the gentlemen may mistake me for an heiress, wouldn't that be fantastic?"

"Yes, Lydia, very much a fantasy," Mary retorted, adding, "We hadn't a moment's silence all the way home."

"I'm glad to hear you like your dress, Lydia dear," Elizabeth smiled, trying to maintain some semblance of peace as Lydia scowled at Mary.

"And what did you think of yours, Jane?" Kitty inquired excitedly.

"I think it might just be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Jane replied, her excitement visible, but not quite as overwhelming as Lydia's.

"Where's Aunt Marianne?" Mary asked, noticing the lady was not present.

"I think she is upstairs with Benjamin."

"Oh, I have something to discuss with her, I'll be back in a moment," and with that Mary disappeared from the room.

* * *

By dinner time Lydia's deluge of excitement had not yet died down. Though her constant chattering was found more than just slightly annoying by all gathered at the table, with the exception of Dorothy and Emma who did not once tire of hearing the description of her dress, everyone agreed a happy, excited Lydia was far more preferable to a sullen one.

To add to the general excitement of the day, Mr Darcy and Georgiana arrived mere minutes after the family had retired to the drawing room. Their visit was unexpected, but in no way unwelcome and so, while Mr Darcy and Mr Gardiner conversed, Georgiana extracted every last detail of the dresses for both the wedding and masquerade from her soon-to-be sisters. As can be expected, Lydia was only too happy to oblige and so it was, while the girl eagerly described, for the eighth time that day, the number of skirts and exact detail of the bodice, that Lizzy escaped to the far corner of the room.

She was soon joined by Fitzwilliam who, after noticing her relative isolation, immediately seized his chance to have a word with her in semi-privacy.

"Are you well, my love?" Elizabeth inquired, noticing his demeanour appeared tenser than was usual.

"I have had something weighing on my mind for quite some time, and I'm afraid I have been given no opportunity to discuss it with you in private so this will have to suffice."

"Is something wrong? Must you return to Pemberley?" Lizzy questioned, taking his hands in her own and gazing earnestly at his face. The Gardiners and Bennets had become somewhat accustomed to the natural affection shared between Elizabeth and Mr Darcy, and so no comment was made on their proximity or the intimacy of their conversation.

"I heard from Richard a few days ago, and apparently his initial letter to his mother was inaccurate. The injuries he sustained were of a far more serious nature, yet he refuses to let myself or Andrew arrange for him to travel back to England where he can be treated by a better surgeon. He is being so incredibly stubborn and has sworn us to secrecy. He says he does not want his mother to have any more reason to worry than is absolutely necessary, and I now find myself having to lie for him every time my aunt visits."

"Oh my, the poor Colonel! Did he say nothing of his condition?"

"Only that he needs a few more days before he shall be able to leave. He insists he will walk out of Spain as he walked in, and I doubt we can convince him otherwise. Besides, letters take so damn long to arrive he may already be on his way back now, or perhaps he is dead and there is nothing I can do to save him."

"Don't say that, William, darling," Elizabeth whispered, squeezing his hands and cursing the fact that she could not pull him into her embrace, "He is an incredibly strong man, and equally stubborn. I have no doubt that he shall return safely to England."

"And if he does not?" the anxiety expressed on his face made Lizzy all the more determined to somehow set his mind at ease.

"Do not lose hope," she breathed, placing a kiss on his knuckles and squeezing his hand lightly.

* * *

It took another quarter of an hour of whispered discussion before she could once more coax a smile onto his face. Although Fitzwilliam was the strongest man she knew, Elizabeth had also come to understand that the loss of his mother and father, and then nearly losing Georgiana the previous summer had created a gnawing fear that the same might happen to any other person he held dear.

"The Colonel is so headstrong I am sure he will find it incredibly amusing that we have worried over him so," Elizabeth tried once more, and saw a small grin creep across Fitzwilliam's face.

"I shan't hear the end of it," he agreed, his good spirits somewhat returning.

It wasn't too long after this that Elizabeth and Mr Darcy rejoined the rest of the group, although Lizzy made sure not to stray too far from him and her hand found his more often than not.

It was while Mary and Georgiana played on the pianoforte that a flustered looking Sally rushed into the room.

"Mr Gardiner, Mrs Gardiner, the Duke of Avondale has just arrived," she cried, not entirely sure how she ought to present a man of his rank and wealth.

"Duke Avondale? Whatever is he doing here at this time of night?" Mrs Gardiner asked, quite puzzled.

"Well, show him in, we can't very well have him wait outside," Mr Gardiner instructed, and the maid hurried off to do as she was told.

Not more than half a minute had passed when the Duke stepped through the drawing-room door with a self-satisfied smile upon his face.

"Good evening," the group greeted in unison, bowing and curtseying as appropriate.

"Good evening," the Duke smiled in return, although a slight flicker of unease crossed his face as he noticed Mr Darcy's presence.

"What a pleasant surprise to see you here, Darcy!" he called, trying to sound as pleasant as possible.

"I **am** engaged to Elizabeth, so I doubt you have reason to be so entirely incredulous."

"Now, now, I am merely here for a friendly visit," the Duke laughed, raising his hands slightly in defence.

"I have come to request Miss Lydia's first, and supper sets at Lord Hundley's Masquerade this coming Friday."

"Oh, you need not have gone through the trouble to come all this way, sir," Lydia called, "But as you already have, I shall be very pleased with your company."

An awkward silence reigned over much of the room, none of its occupants entirely sure what to make of the apparent familiarity with which the Duke and Lydia addressed each other.

At last Marianne could take no more of the suffocating silence, "May I offer you some tea, Your Grace?"

"Certainly, thank you," the gentleman replied jovially and took his seat beside Lydia.

It was fortuitous that, thanks to the uncomfortably diverted eyes, the um-ing and ah-ing, and a short moment where Fitzwilliam turned to whisper something to Elizabeth, the Duke managed to slip a large pouch into Lydia's hands and watch as she soundlessly hid it in a skirt pocket.

Thereafter it did not take much convincing for the gentleman to bid the household goodnight and make his timely escape.

He had barely left the front door when Lydia leapt to her feet and excused herself to go find a piece of music in her room. She suddenly had the urge to grace the company with a song, and only one would do.

Nearly tripping on her skirt as she ran up the stairs she did not waste a single second once she reached her room, and poured out the contents of the pouch on her bed.

A pile of glimmering gold coins tumbled onto the blanket and filled her with glee.

Counting as fast as she could, she was forced to repeat her tally twice as she was not entirely certain such a large profit could be possible. The Duke had returned a full two-hundred-and-five pounds, which meant he had more than doubled his money at cards.

In total, she now possessed two-hundred-and-eighty pounds, a number far greater than she ever could have imagined.

 _I am rich!_ she whispered to herself, shivering slightly at the thrill of such a realization.

So absorbed was she in counting and recounting her money, and watching the coins sparkle in the candlelight that she barely heard her aunt's first knock on the bedroom door.

"Lydia, dear, can I come in?" her voice resounded through the wood.

"Uh," Lydia cried desperately, shoving the coins beneath her pillow in a frenzy, "Yes!"

"Lydia, my girl, I must talk to you about a serious matter," Mrs Gardiner said soberly, stepping inside and taking a seat on the bed.

Plopping lightly down beside her aunt, Lydia waited expectantly.

"Do you have some sort of an arrangement or understanding with the Duke?"

"An arrangement? Nothing that I know of, Aunt, we merely find each other good company," Lydia grinned.

With a sigh, Marianne realized she would have to be direct or Lydia would have her beating about the bush for a good hour or two.

"I meant have you or the Duke agreed to a romantic relationship of any kind?"

With a light chuckle, which greatly detracted from the verity of her answer, she replied, "Not at all, I certainly have not been made aware of any such arrangement, nor has the Duke ever acted inappropriately towards me."

"You _must_ be certain of this, Lydia. I will never forgive myself for not warning you, not taking care of you, should anything happen while you reside in my home."

"Please, aunt, I swear to you. The Duke and I have only become rather unlikely friends, no more."

"I trust you, my dear, so I shall put this matter to rest," Mrs Gardiner smiled, patting the girl's hand gently.

"Shall you be joining us soon?"

"Certainly, I must just find that sheet of music and I cannot for the life of me remember where I put it!"

"Very well, we'll be waiting downstairs," and with a quick kiss on the top of Lydia's head she left the room.

As tempted as she was to let the slightest inkling of guilt she felt grow into something more substantial, her newfound riches beckoned and she reasoned her aunt most likely meant her words as much as her mother meant the loud declarations of favour she had once been the object of.

As quickly as she could, Lydia scraped the coins into a pile and pulled open the pouch, only to discover a folded piece of paper stuck between the folds.

 _'Lydia,_

 _You devilish girl, I am still in amazement at your abilities. That you have not swindled half of London will remain a mystery._

 _I shan't visit again until after the Masquerade as I feel our friendship has raised an uncomfortable number of brows. I do look forward to your company at the ball, however._

 _Until then try, at least, to stay out of unnecessary trouble._

 _Edward'_

She read the note with an amused grin, then dutifully threw it in the fire and watched as it dissolved into ashes.

After stowing her loot along with the rest of the coins, she collected the music piece from the dressing table drawer where it had been all along, and made her way back to the drawing room.

The rest of the evening passed relatively uneventfully, with Mr Darcy and Georgi leaving an hour after the Duke's departure, promising to see the family at church the following day.

* * *

It was only moments before each of the girls retired to their rooms that Mrs Gardiner informed them that Mary had asked to return home.

"Did we make her angry because of the masquerade?" Kitty asked concernedly, the sister in question having already left to her room.

"Not at all, dear," Marianne reassured, "Maria Lucas is returning to Meryton this week, and apparently your father has suggested Mary accompany her home."

"When will she leave?"

"I am not entirely sure, girls, but why don't you ask her yourself?"

"We'll find out at breakfast I suppose. Goodnight aunt."

"Goodnight, my dear girls."

And with that the four sisters trooped sleepily up to their rooms and the warm beds that awaited them.

* * *

 **A/N:**

I'M BACKKKKKK! Argh! It has been such a mission but I finally caught up with my writing! Thank you so, so, so much to EVERYONE who reread the story in that time, to everyone who encouraged me, to everyone who offered their support! You guys are absolutely incredible!

Hope this chapter makes up for the wait, and I'll be posting another RIGHT NOW as a 'thank you' for all your patience.

Cheers,

Sammy

xx


	56. To Prepare for a Masquerade

_Monday, February 24th, 1812_

Monday ushered in the very last week of lessons for both the youngest Bennet girls and, in light of this, their workload was made far lighter than usual. Kitty found herself given free rein of her classes, with each lesson giving her greater say over what she did and how she did it. Lydia, on the other hand, could not find it in her to stop talking about the upcoming ball which eventually forced Miss Balette to insist she speak only in French or Italian. It was of little surprise then that, by the end of the week, Lydia's fashion and dress related vocabulary had grown at an exponential rate.

It was on that selfsame Monday afternoon that Kitty, while working alone on her gift for Mr Winthrope, was informed Mr Martin was once more waiting at the front door.

Lydia had retreated to her room to work on her dress while Jane, Mary, Elizabeth, and Mrs Gardiner had taken the children to the park, and so she found herself almost entirely alone.

"Show him in, Sally! I shall go call Lydia," Catherine instructed, knowing full well she would do nothing of the sort.

Half a minute later the young man appeared, smiling coyly and fiddling with the hat in his hands.

"Good afternoon," he greeted uncertainly.

"It's a pleasure to see you again," Kitty smiled, noticing his apprehensive behaviour.

Taking courage at her apparent goodwill, Mr Martin stepped forward and, taking her hands in his own said, "I simply had to come see you, my conscience would not permit me to do otherwise."

"I hoped you would appear out of thin air once more!" she grinned.

"I hope your sentiments toward me have not changed."

"Do you think me so fickle?" Catherine laughed, motioning for the gentleman to take a seat.

"No, not at all!" he exclaimed, "I only feared, dreaded you had found a reason to despise me."

"I could never despise you, Francesco," she whispered, and his hand found its way to her cheek.

"You are absolutely extraordinary."

"I am only unsure of one thing," she ventured, trying to find the gentlest way to broach a topic that had been her only source of unease.

"What is it?"

"What does our," she paused, " _kiss_ mean for our future?"

Mr Martin sighed, "I love you, Catherine, and I want nothing more than to spend our future together - painting, traveling the continent, dancing on beaches, but I am nowhere near financially suitable for a woman like you. I have no wages, I only make a commission on the paintings I sell, and I, I cannot offer you a home, or dresses, or anything you deserve. It pains me, frustrates me beyond belief –"

"I don't _need_ any of those things, Francesco."

"Yes, but if we marry it will be my duty to provide, to give you the life you deserve, and I cannot do that now. Give me time to work, I beg of you. Could you possibly wait? Wait for me to make my name, and earn enough to support us?"

Catherine's bottom lip quivered slightly as she nodded and whispered, "I trust you."

"That is all I ask," he replied, leaning in to place a light kiss on her cheek.

Desperate to dispel the overwhelming tension between them she asked, "Will you attend Lady Hundley's masquerade?"

"I believe I shall. Customarily, Lord Hundley extends an open invitation to the artistic community of London and I certainly shan't miss the opportunity to dance with you."

"Only if you manage to recognize me amongst the revellers!" Kitty giggled.

"I would know you in an instant."

* * *

Mr Martin left a quarter of an hour later and Catherine found herself once more in good spirits. She and Francesco would be married – perhaps not soon, but eventually - and that meant their kiss had not been a mistake. Skipping to the room she shared with Lydia, Kitty found herself in such a good mood not even her sister's eloquence and extreme detail in describing her plans for the masquerade could tarnish her happiness.

* * *

Across town, a distinguished old gentleman sat at his desk thoughtfully chewing on his pipe. He, Mortimer Thornton, had been presented with the most intriguing puzzle and, most tantalizingly, he had once more stumbled upon a brick wall. Never one to see a dead end as anything other than a reason to begin digging he pondered his next steps with great pleasure.

A gentleman of questionable ethics, Mr Thomas Lowland, had approached him with a challenge and, although he would usually be loath to humour a man of Mr Lowland's character he found himself in a rather uneventful period of time and, for want of something better to do, grudgingly obliged.

Apparently, Mr Lowland had been robbed of a substantial amount of money near White's. The thief had, surprisingly, been a woman and the gentleman now offered an equally substantial sum to locate and identify the fiend.

Mr Thornton had immediately mobilised his network of street urchins, beggars, and lamplighters in hopes of some information turning up. His only credible lead had come from a young boy who sometimes served as a messenger at the club, who swore he had seen a pretty girl in old clothes run towards the carriages on the night in question.

Now, Mr Thornton couldn't very well appear at every member of White's door asking to interview their carriage drivers, and so he would have to travel to the club that night and go about asking the footmen and drivers as they waited. It would be a long night, but it certainly offered greater amusement than, for the hundredth time, rereading manuscripts from previous cases he had solved.

Thus, he sat, fiddling with his moustache as the clock hand slipped closer and closer to the appointed time. It had been weeks since he had been presented with a dilemma of any real substance, and his mind simply _yearned_ to sink its teeth into such a deliciously confounding challenge.

* * *

The days before the Masquerade lapsed at an excruciatingly slow pace. Maria Lucas had arrived at the Gardiner home late on Tuesday night, she said very little of what had occurred after Elizabeth's departure from Hunsford, but spoke of Lady Catherine with an obvious sense of fear and Lizzy dreaded the ridicule and admonition Charlotte would likely have faced as a result of their friendship.

With very little delay, Mary and Maria departed for Longbourn the next morning. To Mary's indifferent eyes nothing noticeable had changed between her parents, little more than the fact that her mother did not seem to screech at as frequent intervals, and only seemed to near having a full-blown fit when Mary insisted she 'knew nothing of Jane and Viscount Andrew's relationship,' and that 'Lady Matlock has overseen much of Lizzy's wedding preparations.'

Mr Ferrars often visited Longbourn, a fact Mrs Bennet no longer lamented, and it was soon decided their engagement would be announced once all her sisters were once more under their father's roof. Mary dreaded telling Elizabeth her marriage to the doctor would take place while she and Mr Darcy were on their wedding tour, but she so desperately longed to leave her chaotic home in lieu of Mr Ferrars' quiet company, and so she looked forward to legalizing the matter as soon as may be.

* * *

When Lydia wasn't regaling Miss Balette with descriptions of dresses and the possibility of her dancing the _waltz_ with the Duke, "which would be oh-so deliciously tormenting for the other ladies," she was afflicting her sisters' sanity with lengthy discussions of very similar topics, although she _did_ do her best avoid mentioning the Duke too often.

It had grown so tiring that by Wednesday she and Kitty had already gotten into a spat over her vanity, and by Thursday even Jane's longsuffering had been severely tested.

 _Not even my own sisters care what I have to say. If only they knew everything I've been doing, maybe then they'd be more attentive. Ha! They wouldn't be so quick to dismiss me if they had even the slightest whiff of the things I've seen and heard._

Despite the urge to finally put her sisters in their place and reveal how much wiser and more experienced she was, she knew breathing even a word of her escapades would mean no masquerade and the deliverance of swift and certain condemnation. Thus, she remained silent, only rolling her eyes whenever Kitty huffed, "Will you _ever_ stop?" or when neither Lizzy nor Jane would answer the questions she posed as bait for the sole purpose of further explaining the particulars of something she had read in the papers regarding the ball.

* * *

Mr Darcy, the Viscount, and Georgiana found themselves at the Gardiner home for dinner far more often than they dined at their own homes. Both gentlemen had declined several invitations to visit other acquaintances in favour of spending their evenings quietly seated beside the women who captured their hearts.

Georgiana would not be attending the masquerade and, although her exclusion from the entertainment was felt more acutely now that girls ger own age would be attending while she remained home, she still found joy vicariously experiencing the general excitement of the week through each of the Bennet sisters.

Realizing Georgiana never tired of hearing about the dances and dresses, gossip and speculation, Lydia found she did not despise the girl all that much anymore. In truth, Georgiana was the only person who happily listened to Lydia's chattering without a single sign of impatience or annoyance. Thus, the two girls found themselves becoming rather unlikely friends, although Lydia's wild mannerisms still shocked Georgi on a regular basis.

* * *

Kitty found her thoughts often drifting to Mr Martin. She would sometimes still feel pangs of guilt, the Colonel's smiling face flashing into her memory when least expected, or the thought of her father's disappointment suddenly making her hands turn cold. Despite this, she could not convince herself to regret what she had done. She had longed for love, for affection, so dearly and now it was freely hers and she would not desecrate it by allowing any negativity to worm its way too deep into her conscience.

Instead, she occupied herself with lessons, presenting Mr Winthrope with a smaller and much-improved version of the painting of Hyde Park she had produced during their earliest lessons as a show of her gratitude for his guidance.

"It is even more magical than the first!" the old man exclaimed with a smile, "It shall have a place of great honour in my shop, and know that you are welcome at the Temple of Fancy whenever it suits your fancy."

The girl couldn't contain a burst of laughter at the gentleman's joke, and she stood upon the staircase outside her home waving madly as Mr Winthrope left Gracechurch Street for the last time on Thursday afternoon.

* * *

 _Thursday, February 27th, 1812_

Thursday night brought great excitement to each of the Bennet girls. All week London had been eerily quiet, as though each of its inhabitants was so occupied by their own preparation for the following evening's entertainment that plays, operas, and dances had entirely been put on hold.

After dinner, Mr and Mrs Gardiner sat all four girls down and, in the least provocative manner possible, attempted to lay down a set of rules for the ball.

Most of the warnings pertained to maintaining their still spotless reputations, but Marianne also took the time to praise each of them for their costumes and the hard work they had put into them.

For once, Lydia did not roll her eyes and insist on blocking out her aunt and uncle's words. Kitty sat motionless, Mr Gardiner's request for each of them to promise to act responsibly and think of the consequences of their actions having once more pushed her into a somewhat shallow hole of guilt and internal admonition.

It took quite some time for each of the girls to fall asleep that night. Much of their evening was spent excitedly whispering to each other as they huddled beneath their thick blankets, and it was well past midnight when they all finally succumbed to sleep.

* * *

 _Friday, February 28th, 1812_

"Lizzy! Jane! Get up this _instant!_ " a shrill voice invaded Elizabeth's dreams and she leapt from the bed in fright.

Rushing into the hallway she anxiously called out, "Lydia? Is something wrong?"

"It's finally here!" Lydia sang, as Elizabeth realized the reason for her yelling and gave an indignant huff of annoyance.

"Go to **sleep!** " she roared, before half sprinting back to the bed where Jane lay oblivious to the world around her, and crawling back into the warm embrace of the thick sheets and blankets.

The fire was not yet lit, and the clock had barely struck six. They would only leave for the Hundley Residences at half-past seven that evening and Lydia was _completely_ out of her mind if she thought they would get ready a full thirteen hours in advance.

* * *

To Lydia's credit, she really _did_ try to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, her excitement for the evening ahead made her toss and turn relentlessly as she willed herself to once more drift into unconsciousness.

It was on her twelfth turn that Kitty, with an exasperated growl, shoved her off the mattress, sniggering in delight as Lydia hit the ground with a thud.

"You brute!" Lydia shrieked, slamming her pillow with full force over Kitty's head and stomping her foot when her sister didn't even have the decency to flinch or protest.

"You shall be dozing off in a corner tonight if you insist on arising so incredibly early," Kitty warned, her voice muffled as she snuggled deeper beneath the blankets.

"Ha! You might be as weak, but I am entirely immune to fatigue when the occasion calls for it."

"Weariness does horrible things to your complexion, I thought you knew that already," Kitty changed tactics, hoping this approach would obtain greater success.

Unwilling to settle down for her sisters' sake Lydia did, however, once more clamber into the bed and lie as still as possible for that of her own. Nothing produced more fear in the girl than something somehow tainting her impeccable appearance, and so she soon found herself drifting to sleep once more, and managed to remain relatively still until just after eight.

* * *

Elizabeth's mind had been wandering long before her eyes eventually fluttered open and she noticed the fire happily flickering away to her right. Jane lay deathly still and, if they had not shared a bed for much of their lives, Lizzy may have worried. She was well aware, however, that Jane remained dead to the world from the moment her head touched her pillow until she was entirely rested.

This train of thought inevitably led Elizabeth to wonder what it would be like to share a bed with Mr Darcy.

 _I don't suppose we would sleep in the same bed every night,_ she mused, _Even Uncle Edward and Aunt Marianne do not seem to share a room and they are the most loving husband and wife in my acquaintance. Perhaps separation is good for a marriage? Though it will certainly be strange to be all alone as Jane and I have shared a bed for as long as I can remember._

So occupied was she by her thoughts that Lydia and Kitty had leapt onto the bed before she even realized they were in the room.

"Today's the day!" Kitty squealed as giddy laughter overtook her ability to form understandable sentences.

"Get up, get up, get up!" Lydia chanted, crouching over Jane and shaking her shoulders.

"It's far too early!" Jane moaned, trying her best to turn onto her side as Lydia pinned her down.

"Too early! It's past eight and you take an eternity to wake up!" Kitty heaved in between bouncing excitedly on Elizabeth's side of the bed, her sister having arisen in order to escape the torment Jane was now facing.

Calming down somewhat, Lydia fell onto her back beside Jane and said, "Sally is already filling the tub, and I'm going to bathe first!"

"No!" Kitty objected, "I need to wash my hair and it won't dry in time if you take up half the morning sleeping in the bath!"

"I don't sleep! Besides, _I_ was the one who saw Sally, and I mentioned bathing first!"

"But you had a chance to wash yesterday!"

"That doesn't matter!"

"Of course, it does!"

"No, it doesn't!"

Elizabeth sighed, she would have to interrupt or they would never cease their bickering.

"Alright!" she cried, snapping the two girls out of their intense argument, "Lydia, you took a bath first yesterday and left me and Jane to wash in the near-freezing water. It's only fair Kitty gets to go first today, besides, I cannot see why you need to bathe again!"

"Fine!" Lydia mumbled, and Catherine hurried off to check on Sally's progress.

"Is breakfast ready?" Jane at last inquired as she sleepily rubbed her eyes.

"I heard a commotion downstairs so I believe it is," Lydia replied, and soon all three girls had pulled on thick gowns and made their way to the dining room where all of the household had already gathered.

* * *

Kitty took quite some time to get her hair clean. She had discovered midway through that a few strands had been coated in blue paint and so spent most her time meticulously washing it out with a comb.

Lydia was not impressed to find the bathwater had turned a shade of pale blue and it took another quarter of an hour for Kitty to convince her sister she had not tainted the water on purpose. Fearing her skin would take after the bluish hue of the water, Lydia forwent her bath and the four girls spent much of their morning finalizing their dresses and whiling away the hours on the pianoforte.

* * *

At last, the time came when Lydia could no longer be convinced to wait before beginning her toilette, and so all four girls crowded into Jane and Elizabeth's room and set to work on their hair with Sally's help.

* * *

 **A/N:** Tadaaaaaaaaa! As promised, here's the second chapter! Today was definitely a double chapter kinda day, so I hope this somewhat makes up for the delay!


	57. The Masquerade Pt 1

Lydia insisted she dress first. Despite taking only five minutes to pull on her dress, her hair turned out to be a nightmare for all three sisters and Sally. She had very specific requirements for every aspect of her toilette and it took the four women more than an hour to secure every curl, every braid, every twist in the correct position. It didn't help that Lydia constantly made them redo whatever she was not entirely satisfied with.

By the end, all three sisters were on the edge of insanity. Because of this none of them found the energy or the will to compliment Lydia's costume, which meant the girl abruptly left – refusing to help the rest of them dress.

Fortunately, Mrs Gardiner spent a full five minutes praising Lydia's appearance which somewhat made up for the slight from her elder siblings.

She had chosen to dress as an Ottoman princess. She had no desire to go as a Sultana – the idea of being anyone's wife, even if only imaginary, being so entirely repulsive she vehemently protested against the idea despite the fact that her costume would essentially have been exactly the same.

A plain dress had been used as her canvas, which she draped with thick strips of fabric in red, purple, blue, and green. The bodice matched the skirt perfectly, and she had attached small bells to the hem of the skirt that chimed gently as she walked. Her mask was plain purple, with a distinctly oriental design painted over it in white. Kitty had taken care of all four girls' masks and they were each impeccable in every way.

In a rare show of sensibility, Lydia had forgone an elaborate headdress, rather opting to let the complexity of her hairstyle shine through. Thus, the curls and tresses that cascaded down to her shoulders were intertwined with strings of beads and crystals that lent just the right amount of mystique and exotic flair. Her darker complexion and hair, two aspects of her appearance she had long lamented, perfectly suited her choice of costume, and she wasted no time ensuring her aunt knew it.

* * *

Jane was, by far, the easiest Bennet to dress. Her flowery skirt and flowing white bodice were paired with effortless-looking grace and bright smile. Her mask was pure white, and her hair loosely piled atop her head and held in place by a crown of flowers exactly matching those of her dress.

Her milky white skin and rosy cheeks meant she needed no further adornments and so, with great excitement, they set to work on Kitty.

* * *

With Catherine's constant guidance it was incredibly easy to achieve the exact image the girl had hoped for. Her beige dress, adorned with mauve ribbons, at first puzzled Jane. She did not look at all like a cat, but that was soon to change. Donning white gloves to mimic a kitten's socks, Kitty revealed something she had spent much of her time over the last week working on tirelessly.

She had taken a purse and turned it into a very realistic, albeit slightly comedic, figure of a mouse. Starched cloth, paint, scrunched up paper, and endless amounts of felt made up the creature's greyish body, while its eyes and nose were expertly painted on to mirror the expression of surprise. She carried the poor thing by its tail and, although rather too realistic for Jane's taste, both Kitty and Lizzy seemed to find endless amusement in it.

Paired with her cat ears and the ribbon tied comfortably about her neck, she made a very convincing kitten – even more so when she put on her mask, which had a nose and whiskers painted on it in delicate strokes.

"Oh, I must say you look more Kitty-ish than ever before," Elizabeth grinned, and broke into a laugh as Catherine gave a tentative 'meow'.

"Stop, or I shall suffocate!" Elizabeth pleaded, tears forming in her eyes as she noticed Sally chuckling along with them.

"Shall you need my help, Lizzy?" Jane asked, turning to observe her sister's dress which still lay spread out upon the bed.

"I promised to help her, so I'm sure you can have a rest before we leave," Kitty spoke up, and Jane gave a grateful smile. Her feet were aching from the constant standing and she knew she would tire far too early tonight if she did not take a few minutes to rest her legs.

"Now, let Sally help you into the dress while I fetch your mask and the silver paper," she instructed before hurrying from the room.

* * *

Elizabeth had been sure of but one thing regarding her costume – she wanted to go as a figure of Egyptian mythology.

At first, Jane had suggested Cleopatra, but that was declined on the same grounds as Aphrodite had been. It had taken a while but at last the character had been chosen, after much discussion over how the dress would be conceptualized, of course.

Elizabeth would be Nut – the Goddess of the Night-Sky and Stars.

Imagery had presented Nut as an entirely blue creature, with stars strewn across her body. In order to replicate this effect a deep blue dress had been darkened slightly, its sleeves cut off, and the hem dyed a faded black. Using a similar technique as she had on her old sunset dress, Kitty had painted what felt like thousands of little stars on its skirt and bodice, and fastened small crystals in the centre of each. Elizabeth had protested at the amount of work this created for her sister, but she would have none of it.

"Our dresses shall be walking exhibits of my artistic ability! Perhaps Lord and Lady Hundley will notice them, and so you cannot say my motives are entirely unselfish," she had said with a cheeky smile.

Instead of sleeves, a fine black lace had been sewn on in their place to puff ever so slightly, and the fact that the lace was nearly transparent meant the overall effect was eye-catchingly alluring.

Her mask matched her skirt's colour exactly and the hieroglyphic symbol for Nut – a blue water pot – had been fashioned from cloth and now hung gracefully about her neck.

Her hair was relatively simple. They had separated it into thirty tight braids and laced it with pieces of silver paper. These braids were then twisted about her head and secured with the diamond pins Mr Darcy had given her. Burnt cork had been dabbed onto her lashes and around her eyes, and served to round off the entire costume and render her a very believable, very recognizable figure of ancient Egypt.  
Lizzy was delighted – and she would have crushed her sister in a tight hug had Kitty not immediately protested that she would crumple her dress.

"You look beautiful," Sally said in a satisfied tone, "I have always wanted to be a lady's maid but never got the training. At least I had the chance to try my hand at it!"

"Thank you!" Elizabeth whispered before, with one last application of the perfumed oil that had been yet another of Mr Darcy's gifts, she and Kitty hurried downstairs to join the rest of their family.

* * *

"I cannot believe we are finally going to a real masquerade!" Lydia squealed for the fourth time in twenty minutes. The carriage line had formed two full streets away from the Hundley Residences and, although they were moving steadily forward, the pace remained too slow for the two youngest Bennet sisters.

"I think I can see their house," Kitty called, sticking her head out of the window in a very unladylike manner.

"Not quite, we still have one more street to go, girls," Mr Gardiner grunted as he leaned back and shut his eyes.

With Kitty's help Mrs Gardiner had put together an understated ensemble to look like an Italian Opera singer, while Mr Gardiner had forgone any adornments beside a wine-red mask.

"Do you suppose 'Residence' implies they live in something grander than a 'house'?" Lydia queried, sitting back down and smoothing out her skirts.

"I would not be surprised," Jane murmured, fiddling slightly nervously with the mask in her hands.

* * *

Another fifteen minutes and the carriage at last rolled past an astoundingly tall wall, and Mrs Gardiner remarked they must be getting close.

Lydia and Catherine's disappointment was palpable when, after straining to catch _some_ sort of glimpse of the property they were greeted an endless montage of brick, topped with brightly lit lamps at steady intervals.

"It feels as though we shall be waiting forever!" Elizabeth sighed, her own excitement now catching up with her.

"Do no fret dears, I believe we are close to the gates now," Mrs Gardiner reassured them as she glanced from the window once more.

It was not five minutes later that the occupants of the carriage felt a slight bump as they passed through the gate and began slowly moving up the pathway.

Unable to contain their curiosity, Jane and Elizabeth joined Kitty and Lydia in taking turns to poke their heads out of the window so they too may get a glimpse of the opulence and wealth so effortlessly on display.

Hundley Residence truly lived up to its rather superior name. A large, Chateau-like building was flanked by somewhat smaller wings on each side and, leading up to it was the most impeccably kept garden Elizabeth had ever laid eyes on.

Pure white pebbles made up the carriageway, and on each side of the path torches had been planted, lending a mesmerizing, if not slightly eerie appearance to the enormous garden. Along the walls were alternating lines of forsythia bushes and immaculate boxwood hedgerows.

As their carriage drew up to the staircase – carved from solid marble, Lydia was sure of it – the girls found themselves presented with even more breathtaking architecture. Along the stairs stood the most intriguing bronze sculptures – a serpentine bird, a roaring lion, and a large owl being the three that most caught Kitty's eye.

The carriage had only just come to a stop when the door was opened and two uniformed, smiling footmen offered to help the little group disembark. Quickly, the girls tied up their masks and stepped out into the chilly night air.

As they climbed towards the large, carved wooden doors at the very top of the stairs, Kitty couldn't help but notice how the statuesque creatures they passed glimmered in the lamp light and a slight shiver ran down her spine. She had been completely and utterly spellbound from the moment they entered the Hundleys' grounds, and she had not even entered the house yet.

The first foot had _just_ been firmly planted on the topmost stair when the doors swung open and a wave of warm air and shimmering light invited them in. They had taken only a few steps inside when four maids, in matching uniforms, offered to take their shawls and coats and then ushered them forward.

As they walked, Kitty barely took notice of where she was going, choosing rather to grab onto Elizabeth's arm as her head swivelled and twisted at the sight of the artwork on display.

The entire roof was painted with figures of Greek mythology, and unclothed men and women frolicking through the clouds. The walls were dark turquoise and, instead of paintings, hundreds of strings of threaded glass in different colours swayed slightly in the gentle draft created by the opening and closing of the doors.

So absorbed was Kitty in the appearance of her surroundings that it was only when Lizzy urgently squeezed her arm that she refocused her attention on the state of things before her.

A man, quite obviously dressed as a king, stood beside a very voluptuous, if slightly old, woman coated in gold from head to toe. Her dress was made of golden silk that shimmered in the dim light, and so was the shawl about her shoulders and the gloves on her outstretched hands.

"Oh, what a dear, dear costume! Edmund, do take a look at this," the voice cried, and Kitty suddenly felt herself being pulled forward as the man's twinkling eyes gazed upon her in delighted approval.

"Quite a realistic kitten, my girl!" he exclaimed with a nod.

Realizing the couple must be Lord and Lady Hundley, Kitty gave a deep curtsey, "Good evening, Lord Hundley, Lady Hundley," she greeted as Elizabeth finally let go of her arm.

"Oh no! No, no, no," Lady Hundley exclaimed, and Kitty turned cold, fearing she had done something wrong.

"No, that won't do, simply won't do at all!" the woman continued, "Tonight we are not 'Lord and Lady Hundley', we are King Midas and the bride he turned to gold!" she cried excitedly.

"Of course!" Kitty murmured aloud, "I was certain I knew who the characters were I simply couldn't, for the life of me, put my finger on it!"

"Then we have succeeded!" Lord Hundley grinned, "We are quite well known for seeking out the most unusual, unexpected costumes each year and I would have been terribly disappointed had you not been at least slightly puzzled."

"Thank you very much for allowing Mr Darcy to invite us on your behalf," Mrs Gardiner chimed in.

"Oh! Are _you_ the Bennet girls we have heard so much about!" Lady Hundley clapped her hands in delight, "Edmund, they are the Bennet sisters!"

"I know, My Buttercup, I am standing directly beside you."

"Oh, now I simply must guess which one of you is Miss Elizabeth!"

Glancing at each of the four sisters, in turn, she thought aloud, "You are far too young," she said passing over Lydia.

"I do not think it is _you,_ " she continued with a wink at Kitty.

"You are too gentle for the fiery, impertinent woman we have heard Miss Elizabeth is," the Lady murmured, glancing at Jane for a second.

"Which means it must be you!" she cried triumphantly; her gaze fixed on Lizzy.

"Very astute, ma'am," Lizzy smiled, and the lady once more clapped her hands in delight.

"Now, which of you is Catherine? Although I have a hunch it is you, young lady," the woman said, pointing at Kitty.

"Precisely so," Catherine smiled.

"Oh, two for two! I am doing quite well tonight, aren't I, Edmund?"

"Extremely well, my dear," the gentleman replied.

"Oh, how I would love to spend some time with you girls, but I fear we have many more guests to greet so I must be _quite_ rude and point you to the ballroom," Lady Hundley stated, the smile not leaving her face for a second.

"Thank you," the group said in unison, and soon they were once more making their way towards a large doorway from which emanated a warm, yet slightly dim, light and the undeniable murmuring of a crowd of conversing revellers.

* * *

He saw her before she noticed him.

Mr Darcy and Viscount Fitzwilliam, the former having forgone securing his mask until his aunt insisted, were standing in the corner closest to the entrance. For the past twenty minutes both he and his cousin had been hounded by guests, most of whom approached on the pretext of congratulating him on his engagement, but most simply hoping to pick up a smidgen of gossip or find some way to flirt with the gentlemen before their attention was once again consumed by 'those Bennet girls'.

Now, his eyes couldn't leave her for a moment. She'd taken but a single step into the room when she froze, her head twisting as she surveyed the room in wonder as the light splayed onto her masked face and illuminated her figure in the most provocative way possible.

"Lord have mercy," Fitzwilliam whispered and Andrew, hearing his cousin's muted exclamation, followed his gaze to catch sight of the small party.

* * *

Elizabeth was transfixed. Never before had she seen something quite as beautiful, quite as spectacular. The ballroom, more than twice the size of the Matlocks', was lit solely by stained glass lamps of myriads of colours. They hung from the roof at varying lengths, and spilled thousands of specks of coloured light onto the perfectly polished floors. As men and women in outrageous, opulent costumes floated from one side of the room to the other, a low murmur arose from the crowd as their voices mingled into a palpable buzz of excitement. The walls, instead of displaying paintings and art, were hidden by heavy black curtains that rustled lightly and added to the mysterious, electrifying atmosphere.

Finding herself desperate to see more, she slowly made her way along the room's perimeter. Someway off from the centre of the room, an intimate, circular stage had been set. Upon it sat men and women dressed in muted colours, holding every instrument imaginable. Surrounding the stage, and casting eerie shadows on those occupying it, were perfectly round lamps hung from curved poles that had been fastened to the stage.

As she walked, she found curious openings in the curtains. Each, it seemed, led to rooms decorated in wildly different styles or occupied by some intriguing entertainer or artistic display. One room was entirely covered in mirrors, one housed an exotic looking man seated upon a pedestal and holding a flute, while another contained nothing but a large table and a single set of cards.

In two diagonally opposing corners of the main room stood immense tables piled high with every pastry and sweet available while, instead of a table of wine and beverages, young men in uniform roamed wordlessly through the room, glasses of port, champagne, madeira, and other unidentifiable liquids balanced delicately on silver trays.

She had made it along only one of the walls when, as she glanced inside the mirrored room, she heard a deep voice behind her.

"I see I have been forgotten," it said, and Elizabeth immediately broke into a wide smile, the familiar, albeit almost unidentifiably slight, humour in its tone immediately alerting her as to the identity of the speaker.

"Can you truly blame me when I am affronted by a spectacle as magnificent as this?" she queried archly as she turned to face Mr Darcy.

"You flatter me, madam," he whispered, and Lizzy immediately protested.

"I was speaking of the ballroom, Mr Darcy, although I am pleased to see you have not entirely rid yourself of vanity," she huffed, although her smile gave away her delighted amusement.

"You look ravishing," he interrupted, his eyes taking in every particular of her appearance.

Having had an idea weigh heavily on her mind for some time, Elizabeth tentatively spoke, "And I am quite certain I am engaged to the most handsome man in London," she whispered as she gently straightened his plain black mask.

The effect was instant. Suddenly Mr Darcy could find no words.

He had conditioned himself to ignore, scorn even, the women that rained down empty compliments upon him, but this was something entirely different.

Such a simple, unembellished compliment from a woman he respected above all others, seemed to have knocked the sense out of him.

In truth, Elizabeth had been philosophising over the rather one-sided expectation of compliments in relationships for several days. Men were always expected to express their admiration for a woman's looks yet the favour was rarely, if ever, returned.

Noticing Mr Darcy's still dumbstruck expression, Lizzy stood on her toes and whispered, "Now you know what I feel like."

She had planned to step back, but somehow couldn't help herself, and lingered just a split second longer, her breath tingling across Fitzwilliam's neck as she felt him shiver slightly.

"You ought to have dressed as an imp," Darcy murmured, as he offered her his arm, "you certainly are entirely too full of mischief this evening."

"So, you disapprove of my costume?" she asked in mock dismay, twirling slightly before linking her arm through his as they moved out of the corner and back into the throng.

"I could never," he grinned, as a blonde figure raced past him.

"Was that Catherine?" Lizzy asked, straining to see whether or not the girl at all resembled a cat.

"I believe it was, unless there is another woman here wearing cat ears and clutching a mouse," Fitzwilliam chuckled.

* * *

Indeed, it was a very excited Catherine who had rushed past Mr Darcy. She had been looking for Mr Martin all over the room, yet had found no trace of him. Her search was made infinitely more difficult by the fact that she could see none of the gentlemen's faces, but she would not give up on her quest.

"Lydia!" she hissed, spotting her sister standing with a young man dressed as a knight.

"I am _not_ Lydia tonight, you dolt, I am _Turhan_ – an Ottoman princess!" Lydia huffed in reply, pulling Kitty away from the young man who gazed forlornly after her, his wooden sword drooping to the floor.

"Have you seen Mr Martin?" Kitty asked, ignoring her sister's annoyed tone.

Lydia rolled her eyes in exasperation, "The entire purpose of a masquerade is that you **don't** know who you are talking to, or dancing with, _Kitty._ Honestly! And it is general consensus that **I** am the stupid one!"

Stomping her foot Kitty pulled loose from her sister's grip and hurried away. She would find Mr Martin herself if Lydia was too selfish to help.

It was while she stood at the refreshment table, nibbling on a warm fruit pastry and scanning the room for any sign of the young artist that another gentleman, far too short to be the man she sought, approached and asked for her first set. She had so hoped she would dance it with Francesco, but she couldn't very well decline, or she would be forced to abstain from all the dances that night and such a fate was simply unthinkable.

"I'll be glad to, sir," she smiled, trying not to sound too disappointed.

Hurriedly she recommenced her search, desperate to find her gentleman before all her dances were taken. She was in such a rush she nearly bumped into the Viscount, who had been glued to Jane's side ever since she stepped into the room, and only just let out a quick apology before continuing on her way.

* * *

Unlike Mr Darcy, the Viscount found no reason to allow Jane to wander about alone. He could find no real pleasure in merely watching her from afar, and so he made his way to her side as soon as he caught sight of the group.

"Breathtaking," he said with a smile as he bowed over her hand, "you are utterly breathtaking."

"And you are Zeus!" Jane giggled in reply, noticing the lightning bolt in the man's left hand."

"Precisely! I am afraid Lydia revealed the particulars of your costume and I simply couldn't help myself."

"Well, I think you suit the character very well," Jane smiled, taking the arm he offered.

"And you put even Aphrodite to shame," he whispered, grinning with satisfaction as he noticed her cheeks turn pink.

"Are your mother and father in attendance?" she asked, realizing she had not yet caught sight of the Lord and Lady Matlock.

"Yes, although I believe they are currently speaking to Lady Hundley somewhere near the stage."

"It is such a beautiful ballroom, I must congratulate Lady Hundley on her impeccable taste and creativity," Jane said as she glanced about the room and took in its particulars.

"I assure you beauty is but a part of it! I expect there to be many a surprise and spectacle before the night is done."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **AHHHHH** I'm back again. I feel like every single one of the chapters I post have to be accompanied by an apology for being late with the update again!

I promise I'll post another chapter tomorrow, along with replies to all of your amazing reviews. You guys really are my number one motivation to keep writing!


	58. The Masquerade Pt 2

The novelty of nit-picking every detail about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's appearance, character, and lack of wealth in hushed tones may have somewhat worn off for the time being, but in no way was the name 'Bennet' a thing of the past in such circles where gossip was traded as a commodity, and held at much higher value.

The young women of the ton had only just overcome their collective heartbreak and jealousy at Mr Darcy choosing such an unrefined woman as his bride when it became unnervingly public that Viscount Andrew Fitzwilliam, by far the most handsome and most desirable of widowers, had somehow lost his heart to the eldest of the Bennet girls.

Those who had heard and lamented the rumours of her acquaintance with Mr Bingley in Hertfordshire now had even greater reason to mourn.

And if that did not sufficiently unsettle every single woman in the throng of guests at Lord and Lady Hundley's masquerade, the sight of Lydia hanging ever so improperly on the Duke of Avondale's arm catapulted them into a frenzy of dismayed cries, and infuriated sighs.

"How is this possible?" one whispered in a disbelieving tone, "Is there something we do not know about these girls that draws men to them so successfully?"

"I've heard the youngest throws herself at any man worth more than a thousand pounds!" another snickered, hiding behind a large oriental fan.

"Caroline told me their mother displays them like cattle at the marketplace," yet another shared, eager to have her say in the evening's conversation.

* * *

Thankfully, the Bennet girls remained oblivious to the fact that their identities had already been discovered by the several of the women in attendance, and that they had become more objects of entertainment than mere guests at the ball.

Lydia had found the Duke soon after abandoning the aspiring knight at her sister's insistence. She had run into him quite by accident, both reaching for a glass of Mme. Clicquot's champagne from a bewildered young servant's tray.

Lydia had taken one glance at the gentleman, her head tilted slightly sideways, when she exclaimed, "How nice of you to join me, Edward!" with a sly grin.

"Miss Lydia?" he asked, not entirely sure if he was addressing the correct woman.

"La! I see your skills of observation are not yet equal to mine," she teased, "or you would have been certain enough to simply call me Lydia."

"You cannot honestly blame me, can you?" he grinned, "What do you think of the ball?"

"I cannot say. The dancing has not yet begun and, although the décor is certainly astounding, the true value of an event such as this is revealed by its musicians and the choice of dances."

"I am certain it shan't be long before Lord Hundley declares the start of the entertainment," Edward observed, noticing the Marquis slowly make his way toward the stage.

"Excellent," Lydia whispered, taking a sip of her champagne and glancing across the room to where Kitty could be seen studying the crowd with great intensity.

* * *

Catherine had frantically been searching the crowd for Mr Martin for over fifteen minutes when, as she stood sipping on a glass of Madeira, she was approached by the selfsame knight her sister had so rudely abandoned.

"Excuse me?" he asked shyly, clearing his throat, "I realize I may be rather deluded to ask for your first set as it has most likely already been taken, but may I perhaps request your second?"

With an almost inaudible sigh Kitty took one last glance at the people around her and, realizing she may not find Mr Martin any time soon, she smiled at the young man and said, "As it stands I have no one for the first, so I shall be happy to have you accompany me."

"Oh, that's quite, well," he said exuberantly, his words failing him for a moment, "Perhaps I should introduce myself. My name is Anthony Queale,"

"Catherine Bennet," she said, finding the rather awkward young man a refreshing encounter amongst the powerful, proud men who dominated the room.

"I suppose we shall have to find somewhere to put that sword before the dance!" she chuckled, "It seems rather heavy."

"It certainly is!" he sighed, "I fear I had not made use of much forethought when choosing what to wear, but it is too late for that now."

"Ah well, a knight and a cat ought to make an interesting pairing," Kitty giggled, and the young man joined in her laughter.

* * *

It was not a minute later that the orchestra struck up a loud, lively tune and then suddenly fell quiet once more. Lord Hundley stood before the stage, his crown gleaming in the dim light, as he greeted the guests in a bellowing yet smooth voice.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to our masquerade!" he cried, after having said a few words regarding the evening's entertainment.

Suddenly, from a side door, ten men dressed entirely in black, with hoods obscuring their faces made their way to the stage in single file. Quietly they arranged themselves along the podium's circumference and knelt, their heads bowed low and their hands hidden behind their backs.

Oriental drums sounded from each corner of the room, and everyone fell silent in anticipation.

Quietly, a lone flute joined the slow, steady drum beat - an eerie, entrancing melody ringing through the crowd.

Then, in an instant, the music swelled and the hooded men leapt to their feet, fire shooting from their mouths up into the air.

"Good lord!" Kitty breathed, her hair standing on end at the sheer shock and awe of such a spectacle.

In perfectly synchronized movements, the men jumped, rolled, and spun, fire billowing from their mouths as they came dangerously close to those standing nearest the stage, and exclamations of fear and surprise arose from the room.

Whether the spectacle lasted an hour or a minute, Kitty could not say. She had been entranced from beginning to end, and when the men finally returned to the positions they had held about the stage, she joined in with the rest of the guests in thunderous applause.

"That was absolutely tantalizing!" she exclaimed, and the young knight Queale nodded enthusiastically beside her.

"I have heard Lady Hundley measures the success of her masquerade solely by the number of gasps emitted through the duration of the night."

"Then this will surely be a triumph!"

* * *

Soon after the fire breathing display, the first dance was announced and the pairs took their places. Although Catherine lamented the fact that she had not yet found Mr Martin, she could not deny that Mr Queale was a delightful partner; the flaws in his dancing being more than made up for by the quality of conversation they shared.

Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam, who had eyes for no one but each other, still danced in relative silence although this was no longer uncomfortable, and merely a result of each being drawn into their own thoughts. They did not fail, however, to share a smile each time they neared each other, nor did the fact that their hands lingered in each other's go entirely unnoticed.

* * *

As the music faded for the first set, Kitty and Mr Queale made their way to the refreshment table. Kitty had been so nervous before leaving for the Hundleys' that she had barely touched her early dinner, and now the pangs of hunger had come flooding back.

It was while she stood nibbling on her second pastry that she noticed a man who looked very much like Mr Martin. He was the same height, had the same long black hair, but now wore a beret, and a paint-spattered waist-coat.

As soon as she saw his face, although masked, she was certain it was him.

"Mr Martin?" she inquired tentatively.

It took the gentleman a second to get a good look at her before he broke into a smile, "Catherine! I have been looking for you."

"So have I. I am sorry we missed the first set!"

Shaking his head, he replied, "Do not think of it for another minute, I am right this instant claiming both your second and supper sets."

"Excellent," she grinned, as the young man complimented her costume.

That night it worked greatly in Kitty's favour to have her three sisters taking up all the ton's attention. With no one even giving her a second glance she was able to dance with Mr Martin not three, but _four_ times without anyone making a fuss, and she could not have been happier.

"Did you enjoy the firebreathers?" Francesco asked as she finally recovered from her slight embarrassment at the young man's praises.

"I have never before seen anything like it!"

"And I have a feeling this may only be the beginning, my dear," he whispered, offering her his arm.

* * *

The Viscount and Jane had been inseparable ever since the first dance, but now they were obliged to part as Jane's second set had been boldly requested by a very wealthy looking man, and Andrew had promised to dance with his mother.

Mr Darcy had only just begun to suggest he and Elizabeth dance the second together as well, when a Mrs Vauxhall and her daughter Theresa approached, determined to draw his attention elsewhere.

Theresa Vauxhall did not stand out from the other well-bred, refined ladies of the ton. She was beautiful, of course, but so was almost every other lady in attendance, and her costume did very little to distinguish her from the sea of princesses and enchantresses roaming about the room.

"It has been such a long time since last you and my Theresa shared a dance, Mr Darcy," Mrs Vauxhall crooned, and Elizabeth felt Fitzwilliam's grip tighten on her hand.

"I cannot believe it could have been that long ago, madam," he replied coldly, as Elizabeth squeezed his hand in reassurance.

Silence fell for almost half a minute as Mrs Vauxhall and her daughter smiled suggestively at the gentleman until he finally relented with a sigh.

"Would you do me the honour of accompanying me for the second, Miss Vauxhall?" he asked, obvious annoyance in his tone.

"Oh, it would be such a pleasure!" the girl exclaimed and curtseyed, before hurrying off to the refreshment table as her mother pinched her cheeks.

"Must I, Elizabeth?" Fitzwilliam groaned, turning towards the woman beside him with a dismayed expression on his face.

"You must, my darling," she smiled, untangling her hand from his, "Now go, before Miss Vauxhall succumbs to apoplexy in her excessive excitement," she teased, noticing Fitzwilliam cringe at the sight of the lady staring intently at him, a glass of wine in one hand, and sherry in the other.

"Very well," he sighed and moved in the young woman's direction.

* * *

Elizabeth, finding herself without a partner for the dance solely because Mr Darcy had successfully deterred any gentleman from approaching her since the very start of the ball, chose to wander about the room as the partners slowly made their way to the dance floor.

She had been watching as Lydia walked off with a kindly looking man in plain clothing when she heard a voice from her left.

"Now, I may be incorrect but you look very much like the Egyptian goddess Nut," a stately looking gentleman in a white mask said with a slight accent Elizabeth couldn't place.

"You are precisely correct, sir," Elizabeth smiled, curtseying as she noticed the high rank his clothing and demeanour belied.

"I have no partner for the next, would you be so kind?" he asked, waiting for Elizabeth to agree before extending his arm.

"Gladly," she nodded, and the two made their way to the centre of the dance line and took their positions.

"May I ask your name, or do you wish to maintain your anonymity?" the gentleman asked with an intrigued smile.

"I do not hold anonymity in such high regard as some, sir. My name is Elizabeth Bennet."

"Bennet!" he murmured thoughtfully, "I have heard that name before but cannot seem to remember – Ah! Now I know. You are engaged to Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy!"

"You must make a habit of being correct, sir, as you have been so twice in less than five minutes of our acquaintance," Lizzy laughed.

"Should you ever meet my wife, please do remind her of that," he added in good humour, "But now, you must add unforgivably rude to the list of my qualities as well. I have entirely forgotten to return your favour and introduce myself. I am Alexei Vasiliev, Russian Ambassador to Great Britain, a humble servant at St James' Court, and a devout anglophile!"

"I was _certain_ you are not English, but I could not for the life of me place your accent. It is an immense pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir."

As the dance began, their conversation continued in fractured snippets.

"Before you think me a dreadful gossip, I must assure you the only reason I know of your engagement to Mr Darcy is because my daughter, Varvara, has not stopped speaking of it since the start of the season."

"Oh, goodness, it seems I am the one person in London who speaks the least of my own wedding!"

"Ah, but gossip is worth more than gold here. It is one of the things I both love and despise about England, although I cannot say the great cities of Russia are much different."

"Have you resided in England for many years?"

"Oh, yes. Well over two decades."

"Then I suppose it is safe to say you know England better than I do, as I have not been alive for much more than twenty years."

"I must introduce you to my daughter. She is about your age, perhaps a little younger, and will be delighted to meet you."

"I would be pleased to make her acquaintance as well," Lizzy agreed as the dance brought them in earshot once more. She had noticed Mr Darcy's eyes on her every few minutes and had flashed him a smile twice, which he rather uncomfortably returned.

"And my wife, oh she would be intrigued with a young woman of such sense. Unfortunately, she remained home as she felt rather ill. But, as it is Varvara's first season, I was obliged to accompany her."

"I wish your wife a speedy recovery, sir."

"Thank you kindly."

In such a manner their conversation continued, both finding the other pleasant company, and Elizabeth at last finding someone who could accurately answer all the questions she had long wished to ask about Russia and its beautiful churches and cities.

When the dance ended, Mr Vasiliev fetched his daughter and, finding the girl to be kind, yet accurately described by her father as a bit of a gossip, the girls exchanged cards and Elizabeth promised she and Mr Darcy would join them for dinner once they returned to London after the wedding.

* * *

On the other side of the room, Jane was having an equally interesting conversation with an equally important gentleman of the court.

She had been standing beside Andrew when the man approached, apparently feeling no qualms over asking her to dance while she was still speaking to Viscount Fitzwilliam, who he had given a rather smug smile and a wink. Although Andrew did send a look of warning in the gentleman's direction, he did not seem at all uncomfortable and simply gave Jane an encouraging grin.

The gentleman was none other than the Earl of Charlemagne, His Majesty's Foreign Minister, and still a bachelor at the age of forty-nine by no fault of his own. Although a rather presumptuous, incredibly self-assured man, Lord Charlemagne had no desire to pursue anything more than a friendship with the beautiful woman now walking beside him. His occupation and lifestyle had gifted him with an alarmingly quickly greying head of hair, and he had long since reasoned he saw no reason to add to his already tumultuous life by unnecessarily stepping on the toes of those he considered friends. Besides, surrounding himself with magnificent women had proven far more profitable to the man than simply choosing _one._

Although he refrained from flirting with the girl in respect to his good friend the Viscount Fitzwilliam, he could not help but mention during their dance how lucky Andrew was.

"Lucky? Whatever do you mean, sir?" Jane had asked curiously.

"To have won your heart so completely. Should I have had the slightest chance to steal you from him I certainly would!"

At this Jane laughed in embarrassment, unsure of what to say to such an imposing gentleman.

"You must excuse my forwardness, Miss Bennet, but my line of work has made me a rather direct man, which may be quite alarming to as gentle a soul as your own."

"Please do not apologize, sir, I was merely caught off-guard."

"May I assure you, however, you could not have found a better man in all of England to lose your heart to. Andrew is one of the finest men in my acquaintance, and he now knows should he ever cause you pain I shall be the first to defend you."

That a near stranger would address her so forwardly, and in such a familiar manner puzzled Jane greatly. She later found out, however, that the Viscount and Earl had long been friends and that it was not unusual for the man to address men, women, and dignitaries in such a direct manner. It was one of the reasons he had been appointed Foreign Minister in the first place and although it did sometimes land him in hot water more often than not people appreciated his inability to beat about the bush.

* * *

In another part of the room, Mr Darcy was not having as pleasant a dance. He had spent much of it mistaking Miss Vauxhall for Miss Bingley, so similar were the two women in personality, and when he attempted to take his leave once the music had stopped, he had been cornered by the girl's mother for another ten full minutes of mindless chattering. Spotting Elizabeth with his aunt he, at last, insisted on making his excuses and hurried over to the two women.

* * *

"He is an undeniable asset, my girl," Lady Matlock whispered to Elizabeth, after having seen her dance with the Ambassador.

"I would rather see him as an interesting gentleman, with a lovely family," Lizzy protested.

"That he may be, but having a friend as high up as he is will certainly be of benefit as well."

"I hope you have not abandoned me in favour of the Russian Ambassador, Lizzy," Fitzwilliam teased as he finally returned to her side.

"Oh, it is rather a perplexing choice to make, is it not?" she countered, trying to keep herself from smiling and failing horribly.

"Now, Fitzwilliam, you know how valuable a friend such as the Ambassador may be to Elizabeth in the future. Do take your boyish jealousy somewhere it will be better appreciated," Lady Matlock reprimanded with an amused smile.

Fitzwilliam obviously seemed embarrassed, unused to having his jokes with Elizabeth called out in such a manner. Shaking off his discomfort, however, he turned to his fiancée.

"I believe you owe me the next dance, especially after your earlier insistence I dance with possibly the most tiring woman in the room!" he grinned.

"Very well," Elizabeth grinned and linked her arm through his.

* * *

About a minute into the third set, and having not said a word to each other since it began, Lizzy glanced at her partner archly, "You still insist upon remaining mute while we dance, Mr Darcy," she observed with a smug smile.

"I am merely captivated by the view before me," he whispered as they once more neared each other.

"That is _quite_ improper, sir," she teased, searching for some sign of embarrassment upon the gentleman's face but finding none.

"Not at all, madam, I simply meant I am waiting to see you make a mistake," he countered, trying his best not to laugh as Elizabeth gave a small huff of indignation.

"What have I done to deserve such censure?" she inquired saucily.

"You resigned me to a horrible fate and for that, you must be punished."

"I would not be so loose with your accusations, or I may just get it into my head to step on your toes, sir!"

"Then let us rejoice this dance does not allow you the proximity to do so!"

"Oh yes, and I have never disrupted _anything_ simply to get my way," Elizabeth grinned, once more gaining the upper hand.

* * *

"Lord and Lady Hundley wish to speak to you and Miss Catherine; do you think you might be able to locate her?" Fitzwilliam asked as the dance ended and they made their way to the side of the room.

"I saw her gallivanting about only a minute ago, let me go fetch her," Lizzy murmured, as she turned and scanned the crowd for a pair of cat ears.

Spotting her sister once more nibbling on some sort of sweet, Elizabeth hurried over.

"Kitty, Kitty," she called, "Lord and Lady Hundley wish to speak to you, so Mr Darcy has asked us to accompany him for a few minutes."

"Oh, goodness!" the girl exclaimed, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief, "let us go, then!"

* * *

Together the little party of three wove their way through the guests, however not without Elizabeth and Catherine being asked for two dances each along the way, and Mr Darcy doing his utmost best to be a good sport about it.

"Lord Hundley, Lady Hundley," the gentleman greeted as they at last found themselves standing before the Marquis and his wife.

"Ah, Darcy my boy, I was just telling Rosalind I have not seen you dance so happily in many, many years."

"I have Elizabeth to thank for that, sir," Fitzwilliam smiled.

"Now, I believe that makes the four-hundred-and-twelfth time I have had to tell you _not_ to call me sir! It makes me feel so terribly old, and I certainly shouldn't have to take it from you."

"Oh, Edmund, do leave the boy be. He is _so_ incredibly set upon decorum and etiquette," Lady Hundley chimed in.

"But Rosalind you _know_ how awful it is growing old, I do not have to be reminded of it every day!"

"Don't pay him any heed, girls," the marchioness, whispered, "Now, I believe Mr Darcy suggested **you** spend some time with my husband and I, Miss Catherine," she added, turning her gaze to the girl who was yet to say a word.

"Yes, I, I believe so," for a second, Catherine once more felt overwhelmingly shy.

"I would very much like to invite you and your sisters for tea, but I fear it must be this coming week as Edmund and I have promised to visit his ailing sister thereafter."

"I hope she recovers speedily," Kitty offered and then, looking to Elizabeth said, "I am sure we have ample time to visit, thank you kindly, Lady Hundley."

"Edmund, what about the fifth? That will be next Thursday."

"Hm, that would be fine, quite fine," the gentleman agreed.

"Very well, we shall expect you then!"

"Thank you," Elizabeth and Catherine voiced in unison, and Lady Hundley gave a delighted laugh.

"Oh, so charming the two of you, I don't think we've ever met two sisters as charming as you are, have we, Edmund?"

"I dare say we have not, my sweet pea."

"Oh, and we have so many wonderful things to show you! Mr Darcy tells me Lucius has been delighted with your artwork, and I have an inkling you shall find the Blue Room quite intriguing, Miss Catherine! Don't you think she will find the Blue Room simply marvellous, Edmund?"

"Marvellous, my dear, absolutely marvellous!"

Suddenly the sound of the orchestra once more announcing the beginning of the next dance interrupted them, and Lady Hundley exclaimed, "Oh, it's the waltz! I was so looking forward to it. Come, Edmund, you promised to dance with me," she beamed, before adding, "You best ask your beautiful fiancée to dance, Mr Darcy, or you may discover many other gentlemen far too eager to take your place!" At which Elizabeth blushed bright red.

As soon as the Marquis and Marchioness had left Kitty rushed off to find Mr Martin, after first thanking Mr Darcy for arranging the meeting.

"May I?" Fitzwilliam asked, holding his hand out to Elizabeth with a questioning expression on his face.

"I cannot see why you still think it necessary to ask," she smiled in reply, placing her hand in his as they made their way to the floor.

"I will never assume anything about you, Elizabeth."

* * *

As the dance began Elizabeth found herself unusually disconcerted by the intimacy of its movements. She had never been held so close to, or in such a manner by, Mr Darcy before so many people and for a minute it overtook her ability to speak.

Thankfully, Mr Darcy chose that very moment to lean forward and whisper, "If I had known you would need such exorbitant amounts of concentration to dance the waltz, I would have offered to teach you before the masquerade."

Lizzy was just about to protest when she noticed the subtle glimmer in Fitzwilliam's eye and realized he was joking.

"I am very much impressed by your ability to make jokes in such a public setting, sir!"

"You have given me both the courage and desire to do so," he whispered, pulling Elizabeth ever so slightly closer.

* * *

On the other side of the room, Lydia was dancing with the Duke. She had never before danced the waltz but had practiced so often with Catherine she was able to confidently accept when the Duke offered his company.

"So, what do you think so far?" he asked, curious to hear Lydia's thoughts on the event.

"I was unsure until the music began, but now I am forced to admit Lady Hundley has done a magnificent job. Never before have I attended an event so spectacular," Lydia was desperately trying to sound knowledgeable on the subject, refusing to admit that before her trip to London she had only ever attended country assemblies.

"And you certainly look spectacular as well, I must commend you on your choice of costume. It is very befitting."

"Well, I have not once lacked a partner to dance with so I must agree with you!" she grinned, incapable of any attempts at modesty.

"I have noticed there seems to be an endless queue of gentlemen waiting to ask you for a set!"

"As it should be, I will never say no to an opportunity to learn more about the men of London."

The Duke rolled his eyes, a habit he had undoubtedly picked up from Lydia, and gave a light laugh as they continued to dance.

* * *

Much of the evening continued in a similar manner. None of the Bennet girls found the need to sit out a dance, and in between sets they wandered about with their faithful gentlemen at their side, exploring the rooms leading off from the main ballroom and maintaining delightful conversation with the men and women they met as they went.

It was while Mr Martin and Catherine stood giggling at the framed caricatures in one of the side rooms that Francesco had pulled her into a corner and breathlessly asked if he may kiss her again. She had wanted to decline but his proximity, the smell of musk and the slightest whiff of paint so reminded her of the first kiss they had shared she couldn't help but nod eagerly as he closed the distance between them.

Hidden from sight, this kiss lasted longer than the first and Catherine wondered at the way his lips moved against hers. It was only when his tongue ran over her bottom lip that she pulled away, eyes wide.

"I, I shouldn't have," she stuttered, unsure of the reaction her body was having towards him.

"No, it was my fault," he whispered, his head resting on hers for a split second before he stepped back and offered her his arm.

* * *

Needless to say, Catherine was driven to distraction for much of the night. She could barely focus on what her dance partners were saying, nor could she quite fully engage in any further conversation for the remainder of the event.

She had never felt quite the way she did the moment he'd kissed her and although she knew it was wrong and shouldn't have happened again, she couldn't bring herself to feel even the slightest remorse over it.

* * *

It was well past four o'clock when the Gardiners and Bennets, at last, returned home. Lydia and Kitty were too tired to undress and simply fell into bed after pulling off the uncomfortable bits of their costume.

Jane and Elizabeth changed in silence, too weary to say a word besides a whispered goodnight, before falling into a deep slumber that lasted until well past noon.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hey hey! How are you all doing? I've been crazily busy these past few days but I just HAD to post the second part of the ball. It's been giving me sleepless nights, people! 

Anyhoo, to the reviews!  
 **Ayla -** YES! I've always wanted to go to a real masquerade ball!

 **EmlynMara -** Thanks so much for the comment! I really liked thinking out costumes that would match their personalities and interests in some way so I'm really happy you like them!  
 **Suddenlysingle -** Lydia is a wildcard but I can assure you her story will be far more complicated than simply marrying the Duke as punishment, or ruining her sisters' relationships. There are definitely some twists ahead!

 **KurukiXV -** Honestly, like most romantic fiction I don't know how realistic Darcy and Lizzy's relationship is, but it more a manifestation of the ideal. I would honestly love to have something similar to theirs but I doubt that's actually possible. xD

 **Regency1914 -** Hope you liked the second part of the ball!

 **Leslie E -** aw thanks so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter!

TO EVERYONE ELSE THANK YOUUUUUU for reviewing. You guys are absolutely awesome.

Until next time,

Sammy


	59. THEIR FINAL WEEK

_Saturday, February 29th, 1812_

It was almost one o'clock when the first Bennet stirred the following day. It was a full hour later before she had found the will to arise and get dressed.

Lizzy had not been so incredibly tired in many years. Not since the last time an assembly at Meryton lasted until sunrise the next day.

Crawling out of the bed as slowly as possible, she cupped her temple with one hand, a splitting headache only just beginning to subside. In fragments she remembered Fitzwilliam pulling her into the hallway and placing a burning kiss on her neck, but when exactly that had happened, she could not say.

Guilt washed over her for a second. The way she behaved around Fitzwilliam scared her, made her stomach churn, and her hands shake. Even though she knew the feelings she experienced when he was near her, when he kissed her, were to be ignored - to be suppressed as much as possible, she couldn't help but enjoy it with a terrifyingly wanton fervour.

* * *

"What time is it?" a sleepy voice called out from the bed as Jane at last peeled away the blankets from her face and lay blinking gingerly in the bright light.

"Past one," Elizabeth replied as she washed her face with the freezing water from the jug in the corner of the room.

"What?" Jane exclaimed, leaping from the bed in a fright, "We are to be at Darcy House at seven!"

"And it shall take us a full six hours to get ready?" Elizabeth laughed, "You are still asleep, Jane, do not fret so!"

* * *

After a lazy luncheon, in which both Lydia and Catherine seemed more asleep than awake, the two youngest girls disappeared for yet another hour of rest in their room while Jane and Elizabeth sat quietly attending to the correspondence they had neglected during the days before the ball.

As promised, Elizabeth wrote to Charlotte, sharing as many of the details of the previous night's entertainment as she could manage on four sheets of paper, and in so doing reflecting on the many memories from the ball she would cherish for many years to come.

* * *

Thanks to Jane's foresight, the girls had packed their masquerade dresses in a wooden trunk and had it strapped to the carriage. Georgi had been so eager to see the costumes they couldn't very well forgo sharing the assembled outfits with her and thus they had happily piled their masks, dresses, and accessories into the box and let the footmen carry it down.

Thus, after a simple but filling supper, the Bennets abandoned Mr Darcy to the company of the Gardiners and disappeared into Georgiana's chamber.

"Oh, you must tell me _everything_!" Georgiana exclaimed, falling onto her bed as Jane and Kitty disappeared behind the makeshift dressing screen Georgi had had moved into the room.

"It was incredible! The entire room was decorated with variegated lamps of stained glass that made me feel as though I was walking through a cave of wonders!" Kitty exclaimed, squealing as Jane tightened her dress' bodice.

"I danced with the most charming gentlemen, and one who was so utterly droll I could barely manage not stepping on his toes to find some way to escape his company!"

" **Lydia!"** Jane and Elizabeth exclaimed in unison.

"You cannot possibly have been so rude!" Lizzy continued, "Think of the poor man's feelings!"

"La! You are acting as if he was a sensitive little girl!" Lydia retorted, rolling her eyes and plopping down next to Georgiana.

Elizabeth gave a small huff of annoyance, realizing Lydia would not see sense.

"What do you think?" Kitty interrupted, stepping out and giving a little twirl.

"Oh, I absolutely _love_ it!" Georgi squealed, leaping to her feet and hurrying nearer for a better look, "And the little mouse is such a thoughtful addition! I can just imagine how delighted Lady Hundley must have been, she has such a penchant for animal costumes of all kinds!"

Jane came next, then Lydia, and for each of their costumes Georgi had similar reactions – awe, excitement, and eager exclamations over the ingenuity of their choices.

As usual, Elizabeth was the last to pull her dress on with Jane's help and give a small twirl for Georgiana's benefit.

"It's spectacular!" Georgi fawned, taking in the details as she slowly spun Elizabeth around.

"I hope Mr Darcy isn't too annoyed with the fact that we have left him alone in the drawing room," Kitty interjected, the thought of the gentleman sitting idly beside Mr and Mrs Gardiner only then popping into her head.

"If you like I can help Lizzy with her dress and you can return downstairs," Georgiana suggested, and all three girls readily agreed – Jane because she too felt guilty for leaving their host alone for such an extended time, and Lydia simply because she no longer was the centre of attention and therefore felt no need to remain in the room.

As the girls left, Georgi set to work on the buttons of Elizabeth's dress.

"Fitz came home in very good spirits this morning, which is unusual. He never enjoys balls of the calibre Lady Hundley puts on," Georgi commented suggestively, a mischievous grin on her face,

"Well, it was a marvellous event so I cannot see why he would not have enjoyed it," Elizabeth replied innocently, although she too shared Georgi's grin.

"He said Lord Hundley had taken quite a risk with the entertainment."

"Oh, yes!" Lizzy agreed, "There were firebreathers and dancers leaping about at the commencement, and indoors too! I feared they would set something alight!"

"Ah, that sounds very much like the hallmarks of a Hundley event. I have never attended a ball there, but Fitz once took me to a dinner and I was so thoroughly entertained I almost forgot to eat!"

Soon after, both girls returned to the drawing room where Fitzwilliam had made no attempt to hide his frequent glances at the door as he waited for Elizabeth's return. As soon as she and Georgiana stepped into the room, he visibly relaxed into his seat, a small smile once more creeping onto his face.

* * *

 _Monday, March 2nd, 1812_

Sunday had been an incredibly idle day for all the girls. They had spent much of it sleeping, or sipping tea and reading quietly.

This meant that when Monday morning came they were all eager to once more make their way out into the now slowly defrosting city and enjoy as much of the time they still had left in London as possible.

Lydia had once more felt the slightest pangs of guilt over her behaviour the previous day although she valiantly tried to ignore them. She was in a desperate struggle with the shreds of her conscience that still remained to whisper its rather unwanted advice as she sat sewing a button onto one of her skirts.

"Shall we go to Hyde Park today, dears?" her aunt's voice interrupted her thoughts and she breathed a silent sigh of relief. An outing would be the perfect distraction from her troublesome thoughts.

"I daresay we shall regret it if we do not. It might be quite some time before we all return to London, and the weather does look particularly inviting today," Jane agreed, eager to make the most of her last few days in the city and hopefully run into the Viscount once more.

As suddenly as the turn of the weather she had found her affections now entirely devoted to the gentleman who had so carefully sought to win her heart. Although she feared, or rather found herself being left breathless, at the thought of discussing these feelings with anyone but Andrew himself, Elizabeth had somehow drawn them out the night before and had then proceeded to squeal in utter delight as she quite nearly suffocated her in an ecstatic embrace.

"Oh, Jane, I am so immensely happy!" she had sighed, falling back onto the bed her smile seemed to spread even wider.

"But what shall papa say?" Lizzy suddenly blurted, suddenly jumping upright and glancing at her sister with a curious look on her face.

"About what, dearest?" Jane had laughed as she sat brushing out her curls.

"First Mary, then me, now you, and soon Kitty too!" Elizabeth exclaimed, seeing no need for further explanation.

"Oh dear, he shall be quite taken aback at his daughters all leaving so suddenly."

"I believe he shall be even more dismayed at being left alone with only mama and Lydia!" Lizzy laughed, as Jane gazed at her disapprovingly.

"Do you not miss her? Mama, I mean?"

"I suppose," Lizzy said tentatively, "In the same way one might miss an aching tooth."

"Elizabeth Bennet!" Jane chided.

"You cannot possibly lament the absence of her constant nagging, or the fact that she seems to have an agenda for every social outing we are invited to!"

"Perhaps not, but she is still our mother and I cannot help but wish she too could enjoy London with us."

"Well, I am sure she will visit often once you are married to the Viscount!" Lizzy teased, wiggling her eyebrows slightly as Jane's cheeks turned pink.

"I am nigh to admitting you are worse than Lydia," Jane laughed, tossing a pillow at her sister's face.

* * *

Thus Jane had found her sister not only approved of her feelings, but shared in her happiness and in so doing only increased Jane's own joy at the way her heart fluttered when she thought of Andrew, or the way her smile brightened whenever she remembered the way he had looked at her at the ball.

* * *

Hyde Park was full to the brim when the Bennets arrived. Far more resembling a packed ballroom than an outdoor park the girls found it difficult to move more than a few steps at a time without getting stopped by an acquaintance or friend. It seemed everyone had come out to enjoy the very first signs that spring might soon be upon them, and it greatly improved the girls' already high spirits at finding themselves sought out by ladies and gentlemen alike who were eager to chatter on about the masquerade, or simply wished to speak to them for lack of anything better to do.

Thus, their afternoon passed pleasantly while, unbeknownst to all five women and the children who obediently remained within earshot, a young boy had caught sight of something he found most intriguing.

* * *

Young James had been sitting on a tree stump in a rather deserted part of the park when he noticed a very pretty girl walking with who he assumed were her sisters a short distance away. His eye had, at first, been caught by the way her hair bounced as she strode along the path but soon his attention was captured by something very different. He could not for the life of him explain why, but he was certain he had seen her before.

Could she possibly have been the girl Mr Thornton had asked him about? _No, of course not. Such a lady wouldn't be caught dead alone on the streets at night,_ he reasoned with himself but still could not shake the feeling that it had most certainly been she.

 _I s'pose I could mention it to the inspector. I reckon no harm could come from it,_ he thought, leaping to his feet and hurrying out into the street.

Mr Thornton always reserved a coin or two for any information he could find and he would certainly never say no to a little something to add to his rather bereft coffers.

* * *

With no knowledge that she had possibly been found out, Lydia spent the afternoon greatly enjoying her time outside of the confines of the house on Gracechurch Street. Their last week in London promised to be full of her favourite things – shopping, outings, and gossip aplenty – and so she could find no reason to be anything but pleased with her current situation, her earlier worries having now forsaken her.

* * *

 _Tuesday, March 3rd, 1812_

Miss Adele Emile came to call on Jane quite early on Tuesday morning. After the masquerade, which the two sisters were dismayed to have found they had not been invited to, the girl was eager to once more solidify her friendship with the Bennets, hoping that through such good association she might perhaps leave behind her sister's sour reputation and forge a more favourable one for herself.

It was no surprise to the girl when, only half an hour into her visit, the Viscount Fitzwilliam and Mr and Miss Darcy were announced.

Finding themselves treated far more as members of the family than guests, the three young people had been smilingly shown into the drawing room with very little fuss.

Georgiana had come to discuss the particulars of their plans for the remaining week before they would leave for Hertfordshire, and Andrew and Fitzwilliam had all too willingly offered their company – happy to find any excuse to see the Bennet sisters once more.

Catherine and Lydia had made themselves scarce at the sight of Adele, but now came creeping from their room as they were informed of the trio's arrival. In such a manner Miss Emile was given the chance to observe first-hand the rather brazen affection shown between Mr Darcy and Elizabeth, and the much quieter care shared by Jane and the Viscount.

Adele's sister had insisted the gentlemen were simply being tricked, kept under the Bennets' spell only long enough so they may get married, but she could not help but admit such assumptions were quite obviously baseless.

Once Miss Emile had said her goodbyes, the atmosphere in the drawing room shifted from comfortable to downright homey.

Georgiana had, at some point, fetched a sheet of paper and now sat behind Catherine's art table and neatly listed the tasks they were yet to complete.

"You are all to visit Mrs Baudelaire once more for fittings, am I correct?" she asked dutifully, and the girls nodded.

"And then we are to dine with my aunt and uncle on Friday evening," she added, noting down the occasion as Mrs Gardiner wandered into the room and took a seat by the window, finding joy in simply observing the excited little group before her.

"What time shall we depart for Hertfordshire on Saturday, Fitz?"

"I believe ten o'clock should give everyone ample time to be ready," he stated matter-of-factly, his arm having found its way around Elizabeth's waist as they sat, being well hidden by her shawl and skirts.

"And you shall ride in our carriage, shan't you?" Georgiana inquired, grinning eagerly at the four girls.

"Of course," Darcy interrupted, leaving no time for the sisters to reply.

"Oh, and Catherine and I shall be visiting Lord and Lady Hundley on Thursday, so I suppose we ought to adjust our plans accordingly," Lizzy chimed in.

"Very well," was the general consensus.

Andrew had kept silent through much of the discussion, the idea of Jane leaving London so soon after his declaration creating a churning in his stomach he could not quite rid himself of.

Despite the fact that Jane had gladly agreed to his courtship, he could not help but feel uneasy having her return home where he would have no ability to offer reassurance should anything, or anyone – Fitzwilliam had divulged the particulars of Mrs Bennet's character to him some nights ago – give her reason to doubt his affection.

He would simply have to hope that she would trust him as fully as he trusted, and found comfort, in her.

* * *

Across town, Mr Mortimer Thornton had just been informed of a most delightfully intriguing, yet somewhat disturbing, development in his case. Young James had provided a rather appetizing morsel of information – he might have seen the girl from the club at Hyde Park – but as always, Mr Thornton did not assume anything to be correct until he had verified the claims with at least one other source.

The girl, as described by James, had dark brown hair and seemed to be accompanied by three of her sisters as she had roamed about the park.

Knowing nothing of the Bennets' notoriety, James could not provide the inspector with anything of greater use and so, after having received his reward for faithfully reporting anything pertaining to the case, he had been sent off with instructions to discover more about the woman in question.

Thus, he had, while once more earning his week's wages at White's, heard of a group of sisters that had apparently take the ton by storm – the Bennet girls.

Now there may have been no relation between the women he had seen at the park and these Bennets all the gentlemen seemed to mention at least once every hour or so, but the fact that there were only four different names mentioned – and four sisters to be accounted for – he believed there to be a good chance they were one and the same.

He would have to be sure before he went to Mr Thornton once more, however, that had been the gentleman's explicit instructions and he would abide by them.

* * *

 _Wednesday, March 4th, 1812_

Wednesday was to be the final day for all four girls' dress fittings. Georgiana and Mrs Gardiner had already invited themselves along and spent much of the time fawning over the various dresses the girls paraded about Mrs Baudelaire's cozy shop. It was not surprising when Marianne shed a quick tear at the sight of Elizabeth's wedding dress, and despite the chaos and the constant chattering, Elizabeth found the voices about her fading away as she gazed at her reflection.

 _I cannot believe this is reality,_ she thought to herself. A few months ago she had been an emotional, impertinent, angry girl and now here she stood – still emotional and impertinent, while her anger had been replaced by a bubbling excitement and the overwhelming sensation of being head over heels in love.

* * *

Lydia's indecision over the morality of her actions meant her attitude varied greatly during the days preceding the fittings. On that day, however, she felt pleased, generous almost, and to Elizabeth and Aunt Marianne's surprise she took interest in not only her sister's wedding dress, but the thoughts and conversations held by those around her.

For a glorious hour the childish, immature girl was replaced by something altogether foreign – a kind, cheerful young woman who, for once, did not insist upon everything being centred around herself.

It took all morning for the girls to try on their dresses, and by the time Elizabeth had peeled off the last skirt and returned once more to her own clothing all six women were dreadfully hungry, and equally fatigued.

It was a great surprise then that, as soon as they stepped out of the shop, they were greeted by Mr Darcy's smiling face as he sat comfortably in his carriage.

Leaping from the door to greet the ladies, he grinned, "My meetings did not last as long as expected and, finding I now had more time on my hands than anticipated I could not find a better use for it than to join you." The latter was obviously aimed directly at Lizzy, who stood smiling by his side although her eyes belied her weariness.

"I insist you come to Darcy House for luncheon, and perhaps some rest," Georgi voiced, giving her brother a look that quite clearly meant 'help me convince them'.

"Yes, of course, we are much closer to my home than Gracechurch Street and I cannot possibly send you back so entirely worn out."

"Thank you, sir," Jane smiled and soon the party was on its way, the two carriages running in single file towards the centre of Mayfair.

* * *

Several cups of tea, and a veritable mountain of food later, and the girls were once more returned to their previous high spirits. As they sat comfortably in the drawing room, saying very little and enjoying the time they were given to simply breathe, light rain began to drizzle outside.

"Don't you simply love the rain?" Elizabeth breathed, leaning back against the sofa she was seated upon and closing her eyes as her hand rested in Fitzwilliam's.

"It brings such a sense of hope despite its rather dreary nature, and although it evokes conflicting emotions I cannot but enjoy it," she continued, her eyes still shut.

For once Fitzwilliam remained silent, simply enjoying his small chance to see Elizabeth so fully relaxed in his presence. London had seemed to put intense strain on her and he lamented the fact that she constantly needed to be wary of the things she said and the people she associated with.

"Lizzy, my love," he whispered suddenly, as if a thought had only just come to his head.

" _Hm?_ " she breathed, her mid still wandering.

"I- I need to speak to you about a matter of some importance, but not here."

"Well, where else are we to speak?" she murmured lazily, her eyes still well and truly shut.

"Will you meet me in library in five minutes?" he hated the clandestine nature their meetings had taken lately but, as it stood, he had no other choice.

"Yes, yes, of course," she said, sitting up and now giving him her full attention, "is something amiss?"

"Not at all, we just need to discuss something rather sensitive and I doubt we will have a chance again once we reach Hertfordshire."

"Very well, I shall meet you there."

Fitzwilliam suddenly rose, announcing he had a letter to finish and that he would return as soon as possible. Although Elizabeth knew the real reason for her departure would be stupidly, if not painfully obvious, she too excused herself precisely five minutes later on the pretence of using the privy.

She had been so often to Darcy House that she had no difficulty finding her way to the library without the aid of a maid or servant. As soon as she spotted the ornately engraved wooden doors she paused for a moment before swinging it open.

Fitzwilliam was seated on a comfortable looking reading chair and motioned for her to take a seat opposite him.

His rather unnerved expression, and the slightest shake in his hand as he took hers made Elizabeth cold with fear.

"Has something happened to the Colonel?" she blurted, the thought suddenly popping into her head.

"Oh, heavens no. At least, I do not believe so. We have not heard from him since the last letter and in such cases I believe no news is good news."

"Ah," she breathed, a small smile of relief crossing her face, "Then what is it that has made you so obviously nervous to speak about, my love? I hope you have not changed your mind about our wedding," she teased, hoping to somewhat ease the tension.

Fitzwilliam did not seem to hear her, however, and suddenly spoke, "We will soon be returning to Hertfordshire, to your home. I – I fear we may not have much time to ourselves and I do not wish," he paused again, "I do not wish your mother or anyone else to fill your head with misconceptions or unnecessary fears. Not that I believe you would ever be susceptible to such things, I am merely aware of the fact that the coming days shall not be easy and -" his voice trailed off.

"Fitzwilliam, darling, do get to the point or I might soon be equally as nervous as you are," she laughed awkwardly, still not entirely sure what it was he wished to discuss.

"What do you know of, of the wedding night?" he finally asked as his face turned pink and he fiddled with the buttons on his coat. This nervous behaviour was entirely foreign to Elizabeth but at least now she could understand the reason for it.

"Enough to comprehend the basic," Lizzy paused, willing herself not to blush as it was after all only Fitzwilliam sitting across from her and he was obviously more disconcerted by the discussion than she was, "physics of it."

"And has anyone spoken to you about it yet?"

"No," she replied, and fell silent once more, unsure of how to continue.

"I wanted to speak to you, to reassure you, before anyone convinced you it would be a chore, or, or an obligation," Fitzwilliam began once more.

"I do not think it will be a chore, William," Elizabeth interrupted, "You and I both know the feelings we experience when we are near each other."

"I know, I just, I just don't want you to be afraid, Elizabeth. I will not hurt you, nor will I expect you to do anything you are not entirely comfortable with."

Now Elizabeth's cheeks turned bright red, and she lowered her eyes, not sure whether to laugh or hide her face in embarrassment.

Finally regaining her composure she nodded, "You could never hurt me, so do not fret over such things. I know my mother shall try to fill my head with mistruths but do not be despondent. I could never in any way believe you would do anything to cause me distress."

Fitzwilliam nodded, the awkwardness of the conversation washing over them as the silence grew.

Suddenly Lizzy let out a small snort of laughter, which quickly developed into a deliciously amused laugh.

"What do you find so humourous?" Fitzwilliam asked, slightly confused at the way Elizabeth was shaking with laughter before him.

"Oh, I simply do not know. I just suddenly felt if I did not laugh the silence would continue for a lifetime!" she exclaimed between chuckles.

Fitzwilliam's smile grew at the ridiculous scene before him.

"Oh dear, I was certain this conversation would end quite differently," she giggled once she finally started to calm down somewhat.

"Have I reminded you how utterly in love with you I am?" Fitzwilliam chuckled, shaking his head at his fiancée's antics but finding her liveliness and joy as infectious as ever.

"Just in every glance, every touch, every kiss," Lizzy replied matter-of-factly, her eyes still glistening with tears of mirth.

Standing up and walking over to his seat, Elizabeth placed her hands on the chair's arms and leaned down, her nose nearly touching Fitzwilliam's.

"I love you, Fitzwilliam Darcy," she whispered, before saucily placing a playful kiss on his nose and making her way to the door.

The gentleman could only shake his head in equal disbelief and amazement. He was about to make an utterly unpredictable, passionate woman a permanent part of his life and he could not be more thrilled.

* * *

 **A/N:  
** PLEASE DON'T HATE ME, PLEASE DON'T HATE ME, PLEASE DON'T HATE ME.

I know it's been absolute ages and I'm pretty sure most of you believed this story to be abandoned and I am so, so sorry. I have been going through quite a lot in my family over the past months, and I know it's not much of an excuse but I just sort of lost all will to write. I am back now, however. Covid-19 has definitely given me a hell of a lot of free time so I'm determined to finish the story and do it justice.

I put so much effort in I certainly won't just leave it as is.

Plus, I also find the writing-bug has gotten to me again, so I'm thinking of creating separate stories for Lydia and Kitty as well. Let me know what you think.

I am now just working on creating the best story I possibly can, then I will return to edit and shorten the chapters soon, and perhaps remove some of it to add to the separate stories.

I hope you can all remember where we left off, and I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

Cheerio, and thank you for sticking with me. Also, the next chapter should be up within a day or so.

xx Sammy


End file.
